Icha Icha Matchmaker!
by ActuallyNevis
Summary: What happens when Kakashi and Iruka play matchmaker to get Shikamaru and Kiba together? Will love sprout? Will hihijinks insue? Only time can tell! ShikamaruxKiba KakashixIruka...Yaoi..Sequel to The Space Between Two Worlds COMPLETE!
1. Rule 1: Be Realistic

_Rules of Matchmaking #1 – Be realistic_

Shikamaru woke up glared at his alarm clock for the fifth time. He blew air out of the side of his cheek and some of his hair blow off his face. He did not want to get up. He had chosen to be a teacher for a lot of reasons. One, summers off. Two, afternoons off. Three, usually no missions. Four, he didn't have to both with troublesome jounin exams. Sure, he could've been a jounin, but he didn't want to. He could still remember his father and mothers disappointment that he'd chosen a different path. Lazy, they called him. They used it like a dirty word. Everyone called him lazy. Everyone used it, but with a different inflection.

He heard his Mother walk past his room and knock on his door. "Get up you lazy oaf!" she yelled. See, she loved him but she saw him as a worthless, good for nothing. She truly saw his chuunin school-teacher status as an underachievement. The heir to the Nara family shouldn't be a mere chuunin. Oh, he was already giving himself a headache. It didn't matter that typically planned most of the city's defenses or attacks; no, his Mother was all about titles. He was the heir and she just looked at the fact that he was a chuunin. Ridiculous, right?

He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, then glanced at the clock. Damn, it was later than he realized. He raced through a shower, quickly dressed and ran downstairs. No time for breakfast, unfortunately. He almost had to jog off to work; thankfully he didn't live far from the Academy, walking into the classroom right as the bell sounded.

After work he was walking home, thinking about walking to the park to watch the clouds when he heard a voice called out to him. He stopped and turned around.

"Oi! Shikamaru!" Iruka-sensei said to him waving.

Shikamaru waited for the older teacher to catch up and smiled at him briefly. He was very happy for his former sensei. It was obvious that he was happy; the man was visibly glowing more than usual.

"Good afternoon, Iruka-sensei." Shikamaru said.

Iruka huffed a little out of breath as he caught up, a large bag of papers over his shoulder and a satchel of work in his hands.

"Ohayou gozaimasu!" Iruka nodded quickly, "Did you want to come over tonight for some shogi?"

Shikamaru was going to argue that he had some clouds to watch or a something to do but his momentary pause while he tried to come up with some sort of rational explanation of something better to do seemed to give Iruka all the motivation necessary in order to steer him in the direction of his own apartment.

"Good! It's settled. Kakashi is actually making dinner." Iruka stated as if that was something that one typically heard.

"Kakashi-san cooks?" Shikamaru heard himself ask with a laugh.

"Yes, it was terrible at first." Iruka laughed as they started walking towards Iruka and Kakashi's apartment. "He tried to make pancakes but he put twice as much salt in them instead of sugar. They tasted awful but I ate them. Naruto fed them to Pakkun."

"But don't worry, he's much better now. He's making some teriyaki chicken and he's gotten the recipe down very good."

They walked on in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm happy for you, Iruka-sensei." Shikamaru said finally. And he was. Although he couldn't help but be a little jealous as well. His last relationship with Temari had been a total disaster. He really didn't want to think about that right now. Sure, things had been okay with Temari at the beginning, he supposed, but, in the end all they had ever done was fight. And he couldn't even remember the last time he'd been happy to see her, spend any time with her, or even look forward to seeing her. When he had ended their relationship last year, all he remembered feeling was an enormous sense of relief.

"Thank-you. I'm happy, too." Iruka laughed and pulled him into his apartment.

Shikamaru was a little surprised when he entered Iruka's apartment. It had always been cozy, but it was different now that Kakashi lived there. More photos, of them, some of Kakashi's things. Lots of weaponry, which he supposed must belong to the copy-nin since he'd never been to his apartment. Some paintings, obviously painted by Sai hung on the wall. Eight different sized, but matching dog beds lined the far side of the wall although only one was currently occupied, by a snoring pug. Shikamaru toed his sandals off and entered the apartment. He heard a muffled curse from the kitchen and he peered around to spy a very annoyed look Kakashi wearing a frilly apron.

"Yo!" Kakashi said, his eye crinkling up.

Shikamaru laughed. "Nice apron."

Kakashi sighed dramatically. "Iruka made me wear it. Part of my _punishment_."

"Punishment?" Shikamaru said with a curious look on his face, turning to look at Iruka.

Iruka huffed and set down all of his papers on a desk, then came into the kitchen. The teacher blushed and scratched his scar on his nervously.

"Um…" Iruka paused. "Would you like something to drink before dinner, Shikamaru?"

"Actually, I get the feeling you have something you want to tell me Iruka-sensei." Shikamaru crossed his arms.

Iruka blushed redder. "Well, then _I_ need a drink."

There was defiantly something up in this whole conversation. Why was Iruka being so awkward? Why was he blushing? Why was he offering him a drink? Shikamaru liked the two men, but not in _that_ way. Wait…

"This isn't some creepy threesomething thing isn't it?" Shikamaru said with half a laugh. He looked at the horrified look on Iruka's face and the triumphant look and Kakashi's face and realized this idea was completely off base.

"Oh, god no." Iruka shuddered.

"I told you he would think that, Iruka." Kakashi said smugly waving a spatula triumphantly and taking off the offensive apron. "I won _that_ bet."

"Damnit." Iruka put his hand to his head. "This is your entire damn fault. You and your big mouth."

"Why can't you just let things be?" Kakashi said.

"No! I you mucked it up in the first place _genius_, I'm going to fix it." Iruka took the spatula from Kakashi and set it down, then turned to Shikamaru. "Why don't you sit down at the kitchen table? Kakashi has something he wants to tell you about a mission he went on recently."

Shikamaru frowned and stared at the kitchen table.

Iruka smiled softly at the younger chuunin. "I know you don't drink, Shikamaru, but you know what? I'm going to set a cup of sake here just in case you decide you want a sip. And you can stay the night in Naruto's room if you want."

Shikamaru had a vague sense of foreboding here that he was not going to like what Kakashi was going to say. He had a very strong sense that he would much rather leave the apartment, leave the place and not hear what was about to transpire. He saw, almost rather than felt himself sitting down. He watched himself take a small sip of sake. He felt the burn of it down his throat. The shadow-nin saw his shadow lengthen across the room.

Kakashi stared at him silently for a moment.

"Well, you know Iruka has been encouraging me to open up more around people, so really this is all his fault." Kakashi started.

Iruka picked up the recently discarded spatula and slapped Kakashi upside the head with it.

"What is his fault?" Shikamaru said, feeling a little better now. So this is why people drank, he thought to himself.

"Well…we were talking about our favorite places to have sex and I happened to mention I liked doing it in Iruka's classroom-"

Shikamaru coughed and felt the second sip of sake going down the wrong way. "What! Where?" He stared at the two teachers in a whole new, disturbing light. "Ahh, oh, man. I can never go in that room again. Geez! Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with me?"

Iruka hit Kakashi upside the head again. "You're getting ahead of the story, Kashi."

"We want to help you, Shikamaru." Iruka sat across from Shikamaru and looked at him kindly.

"Help me?" Shikamaru looked at the two teachers, very confused. "Help me, how? This is starting to seem creepy again…"

"No…nothing like that. With Kiba, of course!" Kakashi gestured, as if this was completely obvious.

Shikamaru stood up quickly, knocking his chair over in the process. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Iruka sighed.

"What game are you two playing?" Shikamaru said angrily.

"No game." Iruka said sincerely. "We just wanted to help."

"Actually, I'm being forced to play matchmaker as punishment for opening my mouth." Kakashi added as he placed a plate of surprisingly good looking teriyaki chicken on the kitchen table. "Now are you going to eat and listen to what I said to Kiba so at least you know what I said or are you going to run off and be blindsided by it at some point in the unknowable future? Doesn't matter to me really." Kakashi sat down and started preparing himself up a plate.

Iruka pouted and continued to stare at Shikamaru who was still standing in the middle of the living room now, hovering between wanting to leave and wanting to stay.

Shikamaru finally sighed and picked up the chair and sat. His stomach was rumbling and he was hungry after all. And he was curious what the man had said. He really should hear what he had said to Kiba. Information _was_ valuable. And if he didn't eat here, he would have to just go home and make something himself as he had already missed dinner. And he was nothing, if not lazy. Dinner here was already cooked. And it did smell good.

He glared at the two older shenobi as he picked up a plate. "Troublesome."


	2. Rule 2: Always Look Your Best

_Rules of Matchmaking #2 – Always, if possible, Look your best_

Shikamaru trudged through the next work day trying valiantly to forget all about the previous night. He had refrained from spending the night at Kakashi and Iruka's house, despite their offer. It was polite but he wanted time to think and he needed to be by himself. He was still a little shocked first by what the copy-nin had said to Kiba, and, by their offer of assistance. Dare he take them up on it? Was he really that hard up for advice and assistance that he really needed the town's resident pervert and his old blushing sensei's help getting him dates? It was almost so farfetched it was ludicrously laughable.

After they had offered their assistance, and he had initially declined. Iruka advised him to just think about it and let him know if he changed his mind. They had then talked of other things and the night had gone smoothly; the three men did have a lot in common after all and he was on friendly terms with all of them. Then he played a game a shogi with Kakashi while Iruka gave Pakkun a bath. He was pretty sure the niken was singing in the bathtub. It had been an odd night. The pug did not have a good voice.

When he got home last night, his mother stopped him in the foyer.

"Shika, where were you?" His mother gave him a hard look. "Temari called again."

"I had dinner at Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei's apartment after work." He had responded. "Then we played shogi."

"Oh." His mother paused, giving him a searching look. "Okay. Are you still hungry? I have some leftovers I could heat up…"

"Troublesome. No, I'm good Mother." Shikamaru said with a sigh, "I was just going to go to bed now, it's been a long day and tomorrow I have to teach weapons training."

"You're not going to call her?" His mother asked.

"Mother, stay out of it!" He said angrily as he walked past her, up the stairs and into his room.

He came back to the present and blinked down at the homework scrolls in his hand and realized he was staring at them, but not really reading them anymore, thoughts completely unfocused. He packed up his work for the day and walked over to the next classroom where Iruka was cleaning his classroom up for the day, his bag already backed. He looked up at Shikamaru and smiled.

"Irasshaimase!" Iruka said, clapping his hands together to rid them of chalk dust.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei." Shikamaru said, feeling suddenly rather nervous.

Iruka waved at him, "Just Iruka. We're friends and I'm no longer your sensei. You ready to go for the day? It's Friday!"

Shikamaru nodded and they started to leave out of the academy for the day. As they started to leave, Iruka leaned in started to tell him their plan. Apparently Kakashi and him and come up with a set of rules they believed would help him woo a potential 'mate' whomever he wished to attracted, weather it was Kiba or whomever, Iruka was clear to point out, the rules could apply to all.

Shikamaru thought it over; Kakashi was very intelligent, as intelligent as himself and Iruka, while not as intelligent as Kakashi or Shikamaru, but Iruka very clever nonetheless and he had the added bonus of being very sensitive and, well, frankly _emotional_. Maybe these rules could be interesting to hear out. Although for some reason, the two men were only willing to give out one rule a day, not all at once.

"The 1st rule is to **Be Realistic**." Iruka said with great aplomb.

Shikamaru stopped walking and turned to glare at his older sensei. "That's it? This is worthless."

Iruka put an arm around his shoulders and steered the younger man through the crowd in Konoha. "Now, now. Hear me out. There are lots of things you have to be realistic about. Secondly, you have to put yourself out there. Secondly, you have to be honest. Thirdly, you have to realize that other people may not be attracted to you…or they may be attracted to you. You must be realistic. What are you looking for? A short term relationship? A long term relationship? Look inwards first before you can start to look for what you want, Shikamaru."

That actually kept him silent for a while as they walked. Okay, maybe this wasn't as worthless of advice as it initially seemed.

"The 2nd rule is to **Always, if possible, Look your Best**." Iruka added as they stopped in front of a clothing store.

"I thought you said you were only going to give up one rule a day?" Shikamaru said.

"Well…you didn't get one last night." Iruka said with a smile. "Come on, we're getting you some new clothing. I'm betting you have nothing…err…pardon me for saying this to a former student, but, err, _sexy_, to wear out with your friends?"

Shikamaru looked up at Iruka who was blushing furiously and laughed. "Troublesome."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Ino shoved Choji out of the way, "Move!"

"It _is_ really him in there." Choji said, shocked.

"I told you so." Ino pressed her face against the window and peered in. Yes, it was Shikamaru clothing shopping with Iruka-sensei. And their former sensei was holding clothes up to Shikamaru and suggesting some of them, then handing some of them to him in the dressing room. Some of the outfits were quite…_sexy_.

"Oh my god, Choji!" Ino cried.

"What, Ino-chan?" Choji asked looking at Ino.

"I think Iruka-sensei left Kakashi-san for Shikamaru!" Ino said her eyes wide. Sweat drops on her face.

"But why?" Choji asked.

"Just look for yourself!" Ino said.

Choji turned to peer in the shop window again. Now Iruka was pulling Shikamaru's hair out of his customary pony tail and fingering it, playing with his hair.

Choji gasped and turned to Ino in fright. "Ino-chan! What should we do?"

"I don't know Choji, but we've got to tell someone! Poor Kakashi-san!" Ino said and the two headed off.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Iruka, please stop! I like my hair in a pony tail!" Shikamaru growled, trying to get his hair tie back, but the older man was eyeing him with a critical eye.

"Shikamaru don't blush, but one of the things Kakashi-san loves is when I wear my hair down, because I _rarely_ do." Iruka smiled, and then winked. "Just a thought. And you do look very nice with your hair down. Give it a try one night out, okay, ne?" Then he handed Shikamaru back his hair tie and the younger sensei glared and put his hair back up into his pony tail.

"Anyways, so are you going to get at least one of these outfits?" Iruka asked. "I wouldn't recommend that green one. The chartreuse was awful on your skin tone. And Gai kind of has that market cornered…"

"Then why did you have me try it on?" Shikamaru said growled again.

"To amuse myself." Iruka laughed.

"Troublesome."

Iruka laughed again.

"You really are spending too much time with Kakashi-san." Shikamaru said as he paid for the least offensive outfit. Some nice skinny jeans and a black button up shirt that had hugged his body in a very nice way, he thought. Maybe there was something to this clothing thing. There was something to be said for the self-confidence that could be gained from knowing you looked good. Damn Iruka and Kakashi and their stupid rules. He hated to admit but there might be something to these stupid rules. Even if he wasn't wooing anyone, they certainly were interesting to hear. Purely from an academic point of view, of course.

"Well, you are what you eat, Shikamaru." Iruka said innocently.

"Oh, ech. _Pervert_." Shikamaru said, then he couldn't help himself, he laughed. Iruka really was being influenced by the man. Or maybe he'd always been this way and now that Shikamaru was older he was finally able to get to know his sensei as a person and not just as his sensei.

Shikamaru started to turn and tell Iruka thanks for taking him shopping and that he was going to go home and have dinner with his family when the man asked him a question.

"So, why Kiba?"

His mind froze up and he thought of all sorts of answers that he could flippantly say, or just simply deny it. But instead his mind remembered why Kiba, why he was thinking Kiba. It wasn't like he was gay. He wasn't one of those people who had always been gay, always known it or something. He frankly hadn't put much thought into the whole thing. He always assumed he was straight. In fact, he thought he was straight. Hence the relationship with Temari that had gone absolutely no where.

They had even had sex, if you could call what they had done was sex. Well, no it was technically sex but he certainly hadn't enjoyed it and he had to make himself do it and get it over as soon as possible. And if you think it's normal for a man to be longing to be grading essays instead of having sex with his girlfriend, well, he was pretty sure that's not normal. He was best friends with Temari and that's why he'd fallen into the relationship with her. It had been as natural as air. She had a great family and it seemed so natural since his Mother was pushing for the relationship and wanted an heir for the Nara family. And she was very impressed with Tamari's skill's, looks and jounin status even if she wasn't impressed with her own son.

Until that one day, he could never forget it. A bunch of people had been sitting in the bar, _The Rusty Kunai_, having a drink on a late Friday and everyone was talking about nothing in particular. And sex stories came up. Shikamaru didn't share because, well, first of all, he didn't really have any exciting stories to share and secondly he was never much of a talker at the bar in the first place.

But Kiba had been pretty drunk, and he had spoke up and said that he preferred having sex with men because he liked being primal. Everyone had a good laugh, and assumed Kiba was joking. And perhaps he had. But Shikamaru had never really forgotten that statement for two reasons. Firstly because he had never heard of Kiba having sex with men before, the Inuzuka man was always very loud and boastful of all his 'female' conquests. And secondly, that word…_primal_. There was just something about it. When Shikamaru got home that night, he couldn't help himself, he looked up the Inuzuka clan mating rituals in an encyclopedia in his bedroom and god help him, he masturbated right there, to an encyclopedia. Yes, an encyclopedia. Now, still, months later, just the thought of the word, _primal_ was almost enough to get him hard. He couldn't get it out of his head.

And now in the middle of the shopping center of Konoha, Iruka was asking him about Kiba and he was thinking about _primal_ and damnit, he felt himself blushing.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru said angrily.

"You don't have to tell me," Iruka said with an understanding smile. "It's okay. I'll see you next Monday or drop can always by if you want some more rules, ne?"

His former sensei waived, and then transported himself away and Shikamaru sighed and decided to take the long way home, wanting to walk for a change. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.


	3. Rule 3: Make Dating a Priority

_Rules of Matchmaking #3 – Make Dating a Priority_

Shikamaru slept in the next day of course. Wasn't that one of the best things about Saturdays? He woke slowly, stretching in bed and glanced over at the clock on his nightstand lazily. It was after one o'clock in the afternoon. He yawned and put his arms behind his head. He supposed he should get up. He did have some papers to grade and maybe he would go over to Iruka and Kakashi's house. He was a little curious about today's rule, now that he was awake enough to think about it.

He dressed and showered, then went downstairs for breakfast. The house was quiet. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a few eggs. He busied himself making himself something to eat with efficient gestures. Just because he was lazy didn't mean he did not appreciate good food. In fact, having worked and been friends with Choji for most of his life had certainly given him a good appreciation for fine food. And eggs were one of Shikamaru's favorite things to eat. He could make eggs in at least 15 different ways; they were easy, quick and delicious. His friends thought he made them because he was lazy, and that was just part of it. He also really liked them. He quickly scrambled a few eggs in some butter with salt and pepper and also fried up some spicy sausage. He carried his plate into the living room and was eating and watching TV when his Dad walked into the room and sat down.

"Morning Shikamaru," Shikaku said, grabbing the remote from Shikamaru and changing the channel.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru sighed, "I was watching that."

"My house, my food, my couch, my flat screen." Shikaku said with a grin. "My remote."

"Maybe I should move out." Shikamaru growled, finishing his breakfast and setting his plate on the coffee table and stretching out on the couch. His Dad was watching some awful nature documentary. Why do parents like such boring things?

"Maybe you should, _lazy_." Shikaku shrugged. "You are awfully old to be living with your parents. You could always ask Temari to move in with you."

Shikamaru groaned. "Not you, too."

Shikaku looked over at his Son. "What happened with you two?"

"_Dad_." Shikamaru sighed, not wanting to broach the subject. How does one broach the subject when one doesn't even know his own mind? It was all so…embarrassing really. He felt himself blushing really, just all so damn troublesome. These emotions and meddling parents. His Father wasn't so bad, really. He knew he cared and he wasn't as concerned about the Nara name and prestige like his Mother was. He could sense that his Father was asking out of love. Shikamaru ran a hand over his face; he could feel it was hot with emotion, his hand shaky with feeling. He barely knew his own heart, how could he explain it to his Father?

"It's okay, son." Shikaku said quietly. "You don't have to tell me. I know-."

Shikamaru looked up at his Dad and smiled weakly. He felt a need to explain, to his parents. Even if was embarrassing. He held up his hand to interrupt his Father

"I…I…_err_…wasn't attracted to Temari anymore." He explained faintly. "So I broke it off. I didn't want to hurt her unnecessarily, you know?"

His Dad was looking at him oddly. "Is there another woman?"

Shikamaru looked a little confused then blushed. "No, Dad." Oh, he didn't even want to get into the rest of his thoughts. He didn't know if he was gay. Was he gay? Maybe he was bisexual? Then the thought of having sex with a woman again held absolutely no appeal so maybe he was. Oh, kami, did he really have to come out to his parents? That was going to be a horrible conversation. His Mother was going to hit the roof.

Shikaku nodded and smiled. "Well, your friend Ino-chan is single and Inoichi-san and I have always thought you two would make a great couple. How about I set up you two for a date, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru felt hysterical laughter burst out of him. He stood up, and picked his breakfast plate and marched into the kitchen. "I don't think I need my Dad getting me dates!" He shook his head and rinsed off his plate and started for the front door. However, at the front door, his Dad was there, blocking the way.

"Shikamaru, it's just one date, give me one good reason why not? You're good friends with her and she's pretty, ne?" Shikaku inquired. "I can call Inoichi-san right now."

Shikamaru wanted to tell him right then why not, tell his father that he would rather date Choji than Ino, but he couldn't do it. His Dad looked so…hopeful or happy or something and he couldn't bring himself to tell him no.

"Fine, _fine_." Shikamaru said grudgingly. "I'll pick her up at 8'o'clock." Then he opened the front door and started to leave.

His Dad looked at him and called out, "Where are you going, Son?"

"Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei's apartment." Shikamaru said, making sure to say it specifically that way. He was curious to see what his Father's reaction would be. He didn't know if his Father knew the two men were in a gay relationship. He hoped he knew, _he had to know_. It was the freaking copy-nin, for Christ's sake, everyone knew about him and the fact that he had moved in with his gay lover, the chuunin who raised Naruto. Everyone knew.

"I didn't know you were such good friends with them." Shikaku said a small frown on his face, the house phone already in his hands.

"Yes, very." Shikamaru said. "Iruka was my sensei after all. Although I don't call him sensei anymore. He can beat me at shogi still."

"Can he?" Shikaku said, visibly impressed.

"Sometimes." Shikamaru said with a laugh. "And always when we play scrabble. And Kakashi-san cooks."

His Father's eyes opened a little wider. "The copy-nin _cooks_?"

"Yes. He's not bad – he makes very good teriyaki. And he's a sore loser at scrabble." Shikamaru laughed and smiled. His Father was staring at him again.

"I guess we haven't talked much in the past year or so…I didn't know how friendly you were with them. Do you spend a lot of time with them?" Shikaku asked.

"Well, a few evenings a week and sometimes on the weekends…" Shikamaru said, frowning and looked at his Father and he realized his Father might take this whole thing the wrong way. So he changed his words a little. "Iruka's helping me, you see. You know, because we're both teachers now. Helping me with lesson plans and helping me grade and figure out better ways to do practical lessons. Kakashi-san is usually away on missions when I'm there."

His Father nodded a little, still holding the phone.

"Okay, I'm going now." Shikamaru said, exit the house, turning and pushing a little chakra into his feet to jump onto the closest rooftop, making his way to Iruka & Kakashi's. What a troublesome conversation that had been. And what was his Mother going to say about when his Father inevitably told her. And now he had a date with Ino? That was going to be a _train wreck_.

Once he arrived at Iruka's he knocked politely, hoping they were actually there. After a few moments, Iruka opened the door and smiled warmly at him. Shikamaru entered and was surprised when he spied a lot of dogs in the apartment. Of course he knew that Kakashi had eight niken but hit was an entirely different matter to see all of them sitting around the apartment on different pieces of furniture, or in their beds. Some of them were sleeping or playing or three of them over there were playing cards. Yes, very weird.

"Good afternoon, Shikamaru!" Iruka said.

Shikamaru toed his sandals off and gestured at the dogs.

Iruka laughed and then scratched at the scar on his nose absently. "Love _Kakashi_, love the _pack_."

He couldn't help it, Shikamaru laughed then he shook his head. "Where _is_ Kakashi?"

"Oh, sparring with Gai I think? Challenging their youthful vigor and vitality or something? It gets him out of the house so I'm happy." Iruka said waving his hand absently. "I've got scrolls to grade. So do you!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "That's what Sunday night at 10pm is for."

"Leave it to you to put it off." Iruka sat down on the couch. He put on his reading glasses, and then picked up his grading again. "I assume you're here because you want another rule? Or did you just miss my sparkling personality and wit?"

Shikamaru sat down next to Iruka and sighed, "Do you ever worry about what people think or say about you and Kakashi-san?"

Iruka glanced sideways at Shikamaru then set down his papers. "Because of our awesome sparkling personality and wit? Oh, you mean the other thing, because we're lovers and live together?"

"Yeah." Then, Shikamaru blushed and blurted out. "_Troublesome_."

"Of course! Every day!" Iruka said.

Shikamaru looked at Iruka shocked.

"But you can't live your life in fear or horror about what other people will say. You have to love yourself and be happy. You have to make yourself happy and you cannot live a lie. Kakashi is a terrible pervert but I do love him and I'm so happy I could burst. If I ever start to worry about what people say, I just remember how happy I am and I forget about that little stuff."

"Do people ever…shun you?" Shikamaru asked.

"Not really." Iruka said, thinking. "This is a ninja village made up of a lot of men, Shikamaru. I think you'd be surprised. It's more common than you'd think. Granted not as many live together as openly as Kakashi and I but, well, Kakashi is rather…"

"Kakashi is a _pervert_." Shikamaru said with a laugh.

"He gets away with whatever he wants, really. It's terrible." Iruka laughed with an odd, far away little smile that made Shikamaru blush. "Not that I mind, really."

"Gah, I don't want to know." Shikamaru said.

Iruka laughed. "Well, you started it."

Shikamaru sighed and looked away.

"Are you going to tell your parents?" Iruka asked quietly.

"I don't know what to tell her. She wants an heir so badly. This will kill my mother." Shikamaru said matter of factly. He knew it wouldn't be much of an issue to tell his Father, he'd always had a good relationship with him. His tangled relationship with his Mother was the issue. He was such a failure to her. This was just another failure.

"You should be honest with them, Shikamaru-kun." Iruka said softly.

He made an impatient noise. Of course he would be honest; it's just Iruka couldn't possibly understand his relationship with his Mother, the hurtful words she used, the cruelty she could inflict. Iruka couldn't possibly understand it was beyond him because it was not something he would ever do. Maybe he really should move out of his parent's house. He was making enough from his chuunin academy salary he could afford a small place.

"What is today's rule, Iruka?" He looked over at his old sensei.

Iruka sighed. "The 3rd rule is to _**Make Dating a Priority**_."

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow. "Make dating a priority?"

"Yes. Date lots of different people. Get out there and meet people."

"My Dad set me up on a date with Ino tonight." Shikamaru couldn't suppress a small sigh.

Iruka crossed his legs on the couch and tried to look serious. "Are you interested in girls at all?..._you know_?"

Shikamaru blushed.

"Ugh, c'mon, this is hard enough for me as it is. You're my ex-student for crying out loud. I'm trying to treat you like an adult friend but I still keep remembering you as the kid I taught to hold a kunai. So give me a break!" Iruka exploded, taking his glasses off and turned to spy Pakkun on the ground next to them, watching the exchange. "Pakkun, don't you have something to lick? Or scratch?"

"No, Iruka, this is better than Bosses pervy books." Pakkun grinned his little dog grin.

Shikamaru gagged a little.

"All of you, I command you to go away, even you Pakkun. That's it, no more today." Iruka said a steely undertone to his voice.

Pakkun whined a little then he trotted away and the whole lot of the dogs disappeared in eight puffs of smoke.

Iruka turned back to Shikamaru and waited for an answer.

"No." Shikamaru answered finally, his answer sounding small and strained even to his own ears.

"Okay, then why are you going out with Ino?" Iruka asked.

"My Dad is making me." Shikamaru said.

"I see, he used torture or held a kunai to your throat? Or did he blackmail you?" Iruka inquired.

Shikamaru sighed. "It's just one date, Iruka."

"Just don't lead her on, okay? She's your _friend_. Remember that." Iruka said.

Shikamaru looked affronted. "Of course not. What do you think would happen away? I'm not even remotely interested in her. _Troublesome_."

Iruka nodded.

"Well, I do want you to wear the clothes we bought yesterday and plan ahead for interesting conversation."

"Also, in the future you also need to change your routine," Iruka started "Don't get your food delivered. You might meet someone at a restaurant. Get yourself out there! Try and get a few other dates this week."

"But I don't know of any other men who are…" Shikamaru gestured.

"Oh…well, usually you can kind of tell." Iruka said. "And, of course, you can always ask me and I can tell you if I know. I don't think you should ask Kiba out right away though."

Shikamaru looked away, flushing. "I don't even know if he's, _well_. You know."

"I honestly don't know. I'm sorry." Iruka said. "Naruto might know, but considering his absolute lack of subtlety, I don't think he's someone you really want to ask."

The two of them shared a horrified look and then laughed uproariously.

"Naruto is about as subtle as a cleaver." Shikamaru then said his farewells to his friend and told him to tell 'hello' to Kakashi for him. He did have a date to get ready for, even if he didn't really want to go. He wasn't going to be rude. And Ino was a friend. He may not be interested in her, but it should be fun at least.

Later that night he showered and changed into his new outfit and even managed to do his hair differently. He took Iruka's advice and left it down. He felt ridiculous, but, what did he have to lose? Maybe he'd see someone at the restaurant that was attractive that he could think about asking out later? Thankfully both his parents were gone and didn't see him leave for the night; he was sure he would've been horribly embarrassed if they'd seen him dressed up for a date with his friend Ino.

He rang up a few minutes early and Ino answered the door and did a double take, her eyes popping out of her head a little.

"_Shikamaru_!" Ino said.

"What?" Shikamaru turned around to see if there was something behind him.

"You're on time. And you…_you_…" Ino appeared to be hyperventilating.

Inoichi came to stand behind his daughter and he looked very surprised as well. "Shikamaru I'm surprised to see you on time."

"I do arrive on time _every day for work_, you know." Shikamaru ground out, annoyed.

"No, it's just Ino said you would be late…" Inoichi smiled fondly down at his daughter.

Ino was still standing there staring.

"Well, are we going or not, Ino-chan?" Shikamaru heard himself asking. Then to no one in particular: "_Troublesome_."

Soon, the two of them were walking down the residential streets of Konoha towards the more bustling part of town where there were restaurants.

"What do you feel like for dinner?" Shikamaru asked, feeling kind of nervous. Was he supposed to compliment her on her looks or something? He didn't want her to get the wrong idea or anything but he also didn't want to be rude. Temari was always very touchy about her looks and he always had to compliment on her looks and if he didn't she was very vicious.

"A bunch of our friends are at the BBQ restaurant if you want to get a table there." Ino said after a few minutes of wandering through the downtown district. It appeared she had been heading that way anyways. He followed her by a step. That was just Ino's way.

They got to the restaurant after a few minutes and he stepped up his pace quickly and opened the door for her. She gave him a curious look, and then a glare as she tossed her pony tail over her shoulder. What was that about, he thought to himself? If she didn't want to go on the date, why was she here? Did her parents force her, too? Well, then they'd just have to be frank about it then they could just have a fun time as friends.

The hostess took them to their seats and it was a nice cozy booth near the back. He noticed all their friends were there, but what he didn't really notice was the shocked looks on all their faces. And all the whispers and pointed looks that followed once they passed. He did notice, however, that Kiba was not there. He sighed sadly.

The hostess set the menus down and walked off and he picked up one of the menus, trying to seem casual. Yes, like he goes on dates all the time. Actually, this would be the first time he'd dated anyone since Temari.

Then Shikamaru could feel Ino pressing against his consciousness, like a group of angry marching ants crawling inside his skull. He glared at her and forced her out of his head. "Stop that!" he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, Shika, you know I can't help it when I get upset." Ino did look contrite. And upset. She was biting her nails and looking worried. Her ability to delve into minds was a bloodlimit and having grown up with her and been on her team for so many years he was very used to dealing with it.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru asked, then set down the menu with a sigh and looked at her seriously. "What's the matter, Ino-chan?"

"You!" Ino whispered, leaning forward. "How can you break up poor Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san and then ask me out? What are you turning into? Some sort of playboy? I don't know if I want you as a friend anymore. And you didn't even ask me out yourself! You had your _Dad_ do it! That's just…kinda lame, Shika!"

Shikamaru looked completely baffled. He blushed slightly, and reached up to scratch the back of his head and realized his hair was not in its customary pony tail and felt even more uncomfortable. He felt himself flushing even more.

Ino looked at his confused face and then she realized that maybe she and Choji had possibly witnessed something that had been innocent. Even if it hadn't _looked_ innocent.

"Talk to me, Shikamaru." Ino said. "I thought we were friends."

Shikamaru looked out at the restaurant; it looked so busy and full of life. So easy for things to be overheard.

"I did not break up Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san; I don't have any idea where you got that ridiculous notion, Ino-chan." Shikamaru started. "They are my very good friends and have been mentoring me, you could say."

"Mentoring you?" Ino said, with a confused frown.

"In the art of war." Shikamaru said, and then continued. And in away, wasn't dating a war of the sexes? Yes, that was a good way of putting it. And it was also a good cover story. "Tactics, strategy and procedures, etc."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Sounds boring. Why did Iruka-sensei take you shopping?"

"Spying on me?" Shikamaru said, raising an eyebrow.

"No, Choji and I just saw you accidentally after we were buying some dango." Ino said with a flush on her face.

"Iruka-sensei has good fashion taste." Shikamaru shrugged, hoping that simple explanation was enough to satisfy Ino.

Ino nodded. "I suppose, although I really haven't seen much of him out of the academy and the mission room."

Shikamaru realized how far he'd grown apart from his old teammates then. Since taking the job at the academy he almost had embarked on a new life and had not made much time for Ino and Choji. Frankly, he had not thought much about them or looked back. Partly due to the pain of thinking about…._Asuma-sensei_. He felt his heart clench painfully with failure. Such failure. At every turn.

"What have you and Choji been up to?" Shikamaru heard himself asking before he realized it.

Ino smiled and it was a big silly smile. "Not much. Missions. Work at the flower shop. Usual stuff. You should come hang out with us sometime. We both miss you."

He listed to a few amusing stories about Choji for a while they ordered and waited for their food. It appeared Ino had a lot of stories about Choji. That was kind of funny. He must have been silent for a while because Ino was looking at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry, I rather zoned out." Shikamaru said.

"You're so lazy." Ino grumbled. "Why _did_ you ask me out?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Promise me you won't get mad?"

Ino looked at him and her response was cut off by the food arriving. They started eating and after a few minutes she said quietly. "I promise."

"My Dad kind of made me." Shikamaru said.

"Ugh!" Ino's face turned red and she looked like she was going to get angry but she took a deep breath and kept herself calm. "If you didn't want to go out with me, why didn't you just tell him no?"

"Parents are being rather…_persistent_." He added, taking a large bite and looking down at his plate. He really wanted to just tell her the truth he realized. But he also knew that just blurting the truth out to her in the middle of a crowded barbeque on a Saturday night was not the best place.

"Oh." Ino said.

"I'm sorry, but I'd really rather just be friends though, Ino-chan. I really like you…but not _that way_." Shikamaru added quickly.

"Of course, Shika. I didn't think you did." Ino said with a dopey smile. "Besides, you know I'm dating Choji, right?"

Shikamaru looked confused. "No, I didn't. I don't think our parents know either?"

Ino laughed. "Parent's never know anything. Besides, Choji always leaves before they wake up in the morning."

Shikamaru's mouth opened and he started. Ino blushed then laughed happily.

"See, you really should come hang out with us more, Shika. Look at all the gossip you've missed!" Ino teased and continued to eat.

They continued to eat and finished up their dinner with lots of laugher and stories. He even managed to think of a few funny stories of silly antics of his students. It was getting rather late and before he realized it, Choji was squeezing into the booth next to Ino and smiling at her, then turning to him. Shikamaru felt vaguely ashamed and slightly embarrassed. Choji shrugged. He was so nice. That's why everyone loved him.

"Hi Shikamaru, how was dinner?" Choji asked, eating what Ino had not finished on her plate even though it was cold. "Did you have fun? Your hair looks…err…long."

Shikamaru sighed. "_Troublesome_."

The three of them walked home, headed towards Ino's place. He was, still on a date with her he supposed and he should walk the lady home. When they reached her house they sat in the park that was across from her house, sitting on the swings like they used to do when they were genin. It felt comfortable and brought back so many memories even though they were really too big for the tiny swings. If he closed his eyes he could _almost_ hear Asuma's voice yelling at them to quit lazing around and get back to work.

Ino and Choji were talking about some party they were planning on going to, some chuunin's party he hadn't even heard of. He had tuned them out, really. They were trying to decide what to wear. Apparently it was some sort of big deal that everyone wanted to go to. A costume party or something.

He turned to look at them and got their attention. "_Hey_."

They both turned to look at him expectantly.

"You guys know I'm gay, right?" Shikamaru said, trying out the words. Saying them for the first time, feeling a little nervous and excited and anticlimactic at the same time.

"Really?" Ino said, tilting her head. "What about Temari? Wouldn't that make you bisexual?"

Shikamaru was glad for the night, because it covered his blush. "I suppose, if I had enjoyed it at all."

"Oh." Ino said, blushing.

"Are you guys okay with that?" Shikamaru said his own voice sound unnecessarily rough to his own ears.

"You know we'll always love you, Shika." Choji said. "We're a _team_."

Shikamaru turned his head away and took a deep breath, not wanting his friends to see the small tear that had escaped his left eye.

"Although I'm not sure what your Mother is going to say." Ino said softly.

"Yes; this explains why I allowed myself to be browbeaten into the date with you." Shikamaru said with a smile. "Sorry Choji, I had no idea."

Choji smiled. "It's okay, I trust Ino." The couple reached out and held hands on the swings, then kissed.

Shikamaru stood. "Well, I'm going to go home then. I trust you'll see my date home, then?" Shikamaru nodded to Choji. "Goodnight team."

"And Shika, tell you parents _sooner_, rather than _later_." Ino said, appealing to Shikamaru's need for order. "Things like this have a habit of getting out and wouldn't it be better coming from you in a setting, time and place you choose?"

Shikamaru listened then smiled. "When did you get to be so wise? I thought all you had in your head were _flowers_?"

She huffed at him and he heard Choji laughing. Shikamaru walked off with a lazy gait in the night to seek his bed, happily looking forward to another day of sleeping in. Another good thing about being a teacher: _Sunday mornings!_


	4. Rule 4: Don't Bring Up Past Relationship

_Rules of Matchmaking #4 – Don't Bring Up Past Relationships_

Shikamaru woke up late and then went for a short hike outside the border of Konohagakure. Not far outside by any means, he just knew of a perfect meadow that begged to have a man lay down and cloud watch. What was so perfect about the meadow? Well, it was so wide and perfect; you could barely see the trees on the periphery of it. It was almost like being in a foreign place. Not that he didn't like Konoha or something, don't get him wrong. He loved his village, and in particular the Nara property. But he truly loved this meadow that he'd discovered. Especially when he lay right in the middle of it, his back flat against the grass, knees bent up, staring up at the sky. He sighed happily.

He watched the clouds pass by for a while absently. That one looked like a monkey playing a violin. Ha! As if a monkey had the dexterity for that, he thought, chuckling to himself. That cloud looks kinda like a pineapple wearing a sombrero. That one looks like…a cloud. Okay, they didn't all look like something. Ha. He scratched his nose, then sat up and pulled his pony tail hair out and scratched at his hair.

Then he abruptly felt a spike of restless chakra coming towards him fast and he was suddenly on his feet. He pulled a kunai out of his pouch and turned around, hands in a defensive posture, ready with his Shadow Imitation Technique. But it was just Kiba. However he didn't seem entirely himself. He was staring at Shikamaru with the oddest expression on his face. Unfocused. Eyes kinda glazed over. Kiba's facial tattoos were almost glowing and his hands were fisted so tightly he had white knuckles. _Primal_. StopitShikamaru.

"Kiba?" Shikamaru asked lightly. "Are you…_alright_?"

Shikamaru did not fall back from his defensive posture or from ready position to let loose with his Shadow Imitation Technique. Kiba was not acting normal. And where was Akamaru?

The Inuzuka man growled at Shikamaru and licked his lips.

Shikamaru backed up a step unconsciously, yet still held his defensive posture. Although he couldn't help but notice how hot the man looked. Great, no, stop noticing these things. Don't look at how wild his hair looks like that and how his muscular torso peaking out through his henley t-shirt or how tight those jeans looked on him. And why was he barefoot? He did have large feet. No, stop thinking about these things and words like _primal_. Oh, this was not a road he wanted to go down right now.

Oh, troublesome! The dog nin was stepping closer and sniffing at him.

_Primal, primal, primal_.

Stop thinking these thoughts, Shikamaru! He yelled at himself, cursing himself for already being half hard.

He took another step away from the man, but the Inuzuka took two steps closer to him, his mouth open, fangs visible.

"Kiba, where's _Akamaru_?" Shikamaru asked. Yes, that was a perfectly legitimate question. Try to steer conversation to a normal topics like giant dogs. As if this was a conversation at all they were having. Kiba wasn't acting normal or even talking.

Kiba did something then that Shikamaru will never forget. He reached down and rubbed himself through his jeans. Shikamaru couldn't help himself, but he looked down and watched, his mouth open, aghast. Wha? His genius mind, right there, drew a blank. Was Kiba touching himself? Right there? In front of him?

Then Shikamaru found soft lips pressing against his and he realized Kiba was kissing him. His eyes opened in surprise. His mouth must have opened to say something because Kiba took that opening as an invitation to stick his tongue down his throat. If it didn't feel so good, Shikamaru might have taken an exception to the blatant domination. He dropped the kunai he was holding, he was being tackled back onto the ground and the next thing the saw was the lovely puffy clouds over his favorite meadow while he lay on his back. Kiba was pulling his clothes off, actually more like ripping them.

"Hey, I liked those pants…" Shikamaru said grouchily.

Kiba growled.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru sighed and looked at Kiba.

Oh, Kami, he was hot. Taller than him, more muscular, tanned, his hair was longer and thick, falling in brown bushy wild waves around his shoulders. Not to mention his tattoos on his cheeks. Kiba had at some point divested himself of all of his clothing and was completely nude. Shikamaru's eyes bugged out a little bit and knew he was blushing furiously.

"Uhh…Did Iruka-sensei or Kakashi-san say something to you?" Shikamaru sputtered in an embarrassed tone.

Kiba didn't answer. He leaned over Shikamaru and started sniffing him more closely, especially around the neck, then licking him and pressing his body against him. It wasn't altogether unpleasant, Shikamaru decided. Rather like a puppy or something. Then Kiba bit his neck, and started sucking his hands trailing along his body and that didn't feel like a puppy, that was decidedly _adult_ feeling. Definitely more _primal_ feeling. Shikamaru felt himself moan and turn into the man's ministrations. Kiba's hands were in his hair and he was thankful that he had taken it down; he loved the feel of his hands tangled in it while he kissed him.

Kiba was kissing lower on his chest now, biting and sucking more, but not painfully so. Shikamaru was so lost in the sensations that when a large hand closed around his erection he yelled out. Kiba pushed him back down with an expression on his face that looked suspiciously like a smirk and soon he felt the single most _primal_ thing he had ever experienced in his life up until that point. Kiba lowered his head and took his cock in mouth. And he did these swirls with his long tongue. And twists with his hand. Shikamaru really wasn't paying all that much attention to the details of the how, just what it felt like before he exploded into a million pieces and was suddenly staring up at the sky again, contemplating the clouds.

It was only a few seconds later and Kiba was sliding between his legs, licking between down there again. Shikamaru blinked owlishly and then leaned up on one elbow. He looked at the man who was licking a finger. Then he inserted it inside Shikamaru slowly. Shikamaru moaned slightly and shifted to let him have better access. Kiba was watching Shikamaru intently, then licked a second finger and inserted it slowly and watched the expression on his face. Shikamaru grunted a little, it was slightly, ahh, _uncomfortable_. The third finger was even more so, but he realized it was necessary. Kiba started doing these little scissoring movements with his fingers and…ah, that did feel pretty nice. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. The blow job was certainly mind blowing enough to make up for this part of it, he thought to himself. It's a pity the man apparently didn't like talking. Maybe he was embarrassed about his sexuality, Shikamaru thought to himself?

Finally, Kiba pushed him back and then he was just suddenly pushing himself inside him, his knees pushed up. Oh, kami, the man was so big. Shikamaru felt completely full with him. It burned a little and he had to admit he almost wanted to tear up a little. But he didn't. He took a deep breath and Kiba started rocking back and forth gently, tentatively. And after a few minutes he knew he was used to the feeling of him Kiba changed the angle and started thrusting in a different manner. Shikamaru gasped, and then heard himself moan shamelessly. Okay, he was wrong. This was the most _primal_ thing he had ever felt. Was that him? Screaming out in pleasure? He had never sounded like that with Temari. Kiba leaned down and started kissing him while he fucked him, brushing against his prostate with each thrust. Shikamaru shouting out hoarsely Kiba's name, hands fisted in his hair. Kiba reached down and grabbed Shikamaru's weeping member that lay between them and started jerking it while he came again on their chests feeling Kiba thrust into him, feeling him do this _primal_ move where he twists his hips in a spiral, grinding his hip against his prostate.

_Primal, primal, primal._

Shikamaru woke up a while later in a daze, naked, completely sated in his favorite cloud gazing pasture. He sat up and looked around. He was also completely _alone_. He looked around spied his clothing in various bits of ripped disarray. Damnit. Why did Kiba leave? Was he that embarrassed of what we had done? Of me? Fine then. What a drag.

He dressed quickly although half of his clothing was ripped and he knew he was never going to be able to get into his house and get past his mother dressed like that. He sighed. Damnit. He took off towards Konoha but stopped at Iruka & Kakashi's house first. He knocked on their door insistently, really hoping someone didn't see him standing on their doorstep dressed like this.

Kakashi answered the door he ducked and entered into their house without permission.

"Sorry for barging in!" He said but gestured towards his outfit.

Iruka was sitting on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn on his lap. Looks like they had been watching a movie.

"Shikamaru-kun, are you alright?" Iruka asked, looking concerned. He set the popcorn and remote control aside.

Shikamaru was shaking, his whole body was shaking. "Do you have something I can wear?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, of course." Iruka said, standing. "Come back here. And you can take a shower if you want…"

Later, Shikamaru had showered and was wearing an older pair of Iruka's chuunin uniform and having some soup that Kakashi had made earlier. Apparently Kakashi was not a bad chef at all. Go figure. Now the copy nin was out walking the dog or something like that, Iruka had said. Shikamaru was pretty sure that was code for giving them time to talk. Shikamaru wasn't a genius for nothing. Of course, it was all really rather silly since the three of them were probably the smartest people in the damn village, you'd think they could just talk like rational adults. _Damn emotions_.

"I ran into Kiba today." Shikamaru started. Yes, that made it all sound so simple.

"Ahh." Iruka said, nodding.

No, that doesn't explain anything, Shikamaru thought.

"No, it wasn't like that." Shikamaru tried to explain. "I was out in my favorite field cloud gazing. And he stumbled upon me I guess. He never spoke to me. He just kept sniffing me and growling at me. Then he kind of…attacked me."

Iruka looked, well, a little shocked.

"Attacked?" Iruka eeped.

"No, not like that." Shikamaru said blushing. "We didn't fight or anything. It was weird. He never spoke. And Akamaru wasn't there. I kept talking to him and asking him where Akamaru was and why he was acting weird. But then…well, once he started kissing me I just sort of let him."

Iruka blushed and scratched at his nose awkwardly.

"Ha! Well, I guess I'm getting practice for these talks if Naruto ever manages to bring Sauske back, eh?" Iruka sighed and rubbed at the back of his head nervously.

Shikamaru looked at Iruka and they laughed together.

"You know you're…ahh…covered in…ahh…_bites_, Shikamaru?" Iruka said hesitantly.

"Yeah I saw when I showered." Shikamaru sighed.

Kakashi entered the apartment and joined the conversation. Pakkun trotted over to the couch and sat in Iruka's lap.

"I think a henge until you heal is advisable, ne?" Kakashi suggested. "Your students might want to know what sort of battle against rabid squirrels you fought…_and lost_!"

"Oh, shut up, you old pervert." Shikamaru said, laughing. "I've heard all about you and your sex in a classroom…"

"Yes, but did you hear about the mission room?" Kakashi said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Kakashi!" Iruka said with a protest, blushing.

Shikamaru laughed. He was very glad he had come. Iruka and Kakashi were nothing else, if not fun to be around.

"So what did he say afterwards, Shikamaru?" Iruka said softly.

Shikamaru leaned back against the couch. "He didn't say _anything_ the whole time. Not one thing. Which for him, I can tell you is a feat. I don't know if I've ever seen him go longer than five minutes without giving his opinion over something…even if it _was_ idiotic and ridiculous. Afterwards I woke up and he was just…gone. I would have even thought I'd imagined the whole thing if, well, I wasn't in pain and I wasn't covered in bites." Shikamaru couldn't stop himself from blushing.

Iruka looked indignant and ready to fight. Kakashi looked thoughtful.

"Who does he think he is?" Iruka spat.

Shikamaru sighed. "Well, it's late and I haven't even started my grading for tomorrow. Thanks for the clothes. I'll wash them and return them when I can. What is today's rule, guys?"

Iruka looked confused for a moment then blinked and consulted a notepad over on his desk.

"The 4th rule is: **Don't Bring up Past Relationships**." Iruka said. "Trust me on that one. If your ex was fabulous, your date will feel they can't measure up. And if you bash your ex too much your new date will just think 'woops that could be me in a few months!' Similarly, you should be wary of a man who can't stop talking about his former lover. If he's still hung up on his or her, his heart has no room for you." Iruka stopped talking, and then nodded to himself.

"You know, Iruka, you're really pretty good at this." Shikamaru smiled. "I don't know if it will work for Kiba and me, but it's all very sage advice."

Iruka smiled brilliantly at his formal student and waved him off. "Well, I did have some help. Kakashi and Pakkun even helped a little."

Shikamaru looked at Kakashi and even the little pug, who were both looking at him, albeit sheepishly.

"Maa…I did manage to _woo_ Iruka, didn't I?" Kakashi said.

"I thought we agreed, _I_ did the _wooing_?" Iruka pouted, advancing on the copy nin, a glint in his eye.

Shikamaru made sure his henge was in place and left the apartment before their arguing turned into something resembling sex. He had a feeling it would. Definitely a strong suspicion with those two.

He made it about two blocks before he realized which route he was taking home. Damned if he knew why he was torturing himself. As if Kiba would just happened to be standing outside his own home just as Shikamaru would be walking home. Of course he hadn't been. He walked past the massive Inuzuka clan kennels and the compound before he reached the Nara house and turned into his house. He inserted his key and was in the foyer and walking up the stairs before he realized his mother was at the top of the stairs glaring down at him.

"You missed dinner." Yoshino Nara said.

"Evening, Mother." He said churlishly.

Her eyes missed nothing. "Those are not your clothes."

"Nope." He said but did not explain or elaborate. They were a bit too long and baggy. Iruka was taller and more muscular than him.

"I've had enough of your lazy insolence, Shikamaru!" She said, her voice rising.

"Mother, I have work to do right now to prepare for my job tomorrow. I do not have time to trade barbed insults right now with you. Maybe tomorrow? I'll pencil you in." He went into his bedroom and closed the door and sat at his computer desk then pulled out the very large stack of scrolls that needed to be graded. Damn ankle biters. Why had he put this off until Sunday night? He really should've done this earlier like Iruka had suggested. Troublesome. Maybe he should consider trying to do his work earlier rather that leaving it until the last minute. Meh.

After about a half hour of grading there was a soft knock at his door and his Dad entered his room and sat on his desk. He looked angry.

"Shikamaru. I know something is going on in your life and I'm not trying to pry. But I won't have you making your Mother cry like that. Being cruel on purpose isn't like you."

Shikamaru felt his shoulders sag. No, it wasn't like him but the whole day was just so troublesome. Everything with Kiba, and then having to live this life as a lie to his parents, his Mother thinking he was just such an utter failure all the time, looking at him with such disgust. It was hard at the best of times and today was not a good day. He swallowed and shook his head.

He leaned over and picked up Asuma-sensei's lighter from where he had left it on his desk. He absently fingered it, opening it and closing it. "Please tell her that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her. It…was a long day and I have a lot of grading to do."

"I'll tell her…but _you_ could go tell her yourself you know." Shikaku said softly.

Shikamaru shook his head slowly. "No, I've really got to get these graded. I've still got hours ahead of me. And I've got to get up by seven."

Shikaku nodded and stood, then ruffle his son's hair. "Okay. Goodnight son."

"Night Dad." Shikamaru said, leaning forward over his scrolls, his favorite purple pen, which may happen to be the same color as the tattoo on Kiba's cheeks, making little marks down the paper.

_A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you're liking this story! Sorry for the little delay…but, I was finishing off "A Chuunin Enigma, Wrapped in a Riddle", (which is now COMPLETE!) And I started a new story called DARK MATTER, which is centered all on our favorite chuunin, Iruka-sensei! Although he's not exactly our little innocent Iruka-sensei in that story…so if that intrigues you at all…check it out! Also this chapter had some yaoi in it, so that's always yummy, right? So forgive my delay and I promise the next chapter will come sooner!_


	5. Rule 5: Be Emotionally Healthy

_Rules of Matchmaking #5 – Be Emotionally Healthy_

Kiba woke with an unidentified hazy languor and satisfied feeling that he couldn't quite put a finger on. He was also not in his bed. That was not exactly unusual in of itself, he thought to himself, as he turned his head to the left and opened an eye blearily to glance around. He frequently slept outside; he liked the smell of earth beneath him. But this morning was different; he was lying in a bed of hay and Kiba realized vaguely that he was lying in one of the kennels. He heard a soft mewling noised and lifted an armpit up idly to allow a small puppy to climb up onto his chest. Kiba also realized at this point he was apparently naked. That was new, he thought. He frowned, trying very hard to remember why what had happened. Had he had a night of drunken revelry with Naruto and Sai?

The puppy crawled up on his chest and started licking his face. Which stirred up some rather vivid thoughts. Of _Shikamaru_ of all things. Gah! He sat up abruptly, which knocked the puppy off his chest and onto his lap.

"Sorry." He muttered to the puppy absently and scratched the puppy's head, and wondered idly where _Akamaru_ was. Why wasn't he coming when he called?

He heard footsteps approaching and then his sister, Hana, poked her head into the kennel and smirked at him.

"I see you're finally awake, Kiba-_kun_." She said as she leaned against the side of the wall with a knowing grin.

"What time is it?" Kiba growled, pooling some hay around his groin to cover up. He wasn't exactly modest, but it was his sister after all.

"It's around five in the afternoon, you lazy buffoon. I had to do your chores for you. _Again_. But Mom seemed to think you needed to sleep." Hana sighed in that long-suffering way she had. Then she smirked again.

"Did I get drunk yesterday?" Kiba asked curiously.

"Not that I know of." Hana said, studying her nails. "Actually I think Mom wants to talk to you about something."

"What about?" Kiba inquired.

"Oh…about this and that." Hana evaded.

"You're not going to tell me?" Kiba yelled.

"Nope!" Hana laughed. "Much more fun to send you in there like an innocent lamb."

"Aren't you supposed to look out for your younger brother?" Kiba groused.

"I think I filled my quota for that a few years ago." Hana teased, but tossed him a pair of shorts that she had been hiding from behind her back. "And don't say I never did anything for you."

"Thanks Hana." Kiba said with a smile.

Hana started to walk away, but then turned back and said, "You know…you smell like _deer_ Kiba."

Kiba stilled and felt his eyes bug out a little comically. "Like what?"

"You know, like that Nara boy. You know his family has deer." Hara said. "What's his name…?"

"You mean _Shikamaru_?"

"Hmm, yes that's him." Hana smiled wickedly and turned back to sniff fully delicately and leaned closer to Kiba. "Yes, _that's_ who you smell like. Interesting."

Kiba shook his head vigorously. "No, not _interesting_."

"Do you remember anything from yesterday, Kiba?" Hana had that teasing smile ghosting over her features again.

Kiba shook his head mutely. But something kept teasing his memory of Shikamaru screaming his name and for the life of him he couldn't remember that happening. Maybe it had been on a mission? But something about the _way_ he had screamed it hadn't sounded exactly like fear. He was so confused.

"_**KIBA INUZUKA!**_ Get in here right this instant!" Tsume Inuzuka yelled from the main house.

Hana grinned.

"Dearest brother, a word of _advice_…" Hana leered slightly. "I'd try to remember something before you face Mother." Hana's laugher followed in her footsteps as she left the kennel.

Kiba set the puppy down then stood up and slipped into the shorts that Hana had brought him. Then he cursed his sister and all sisters everywhere. First of all the shorts were too small and secondly they were bright green and covered with frogs. He was pretty sure the shorts were actually Naruto's and had been left at his house after a sleepover when they were genin years ago. They did not fit. He walked awkwardly out of the kennel and up to the house to face his Mother.

Inside the main house, Tsume Inuzuka was not happy with her son. No, she shouldn't say that. She wasn't disappointed or angry. She knew most of this was her own fault. She leaned down and scratched Kuromaru. She should've explained things to him or prepared him for this situation years ago. So part of her anger should be directed at herself and that was probably why she was so frustrated. She had not seen that her baby was growing up. Maybe she had not wanted to see it. Tsume always knew she would need to have 'that' talk with Kiba, and she had always put it off. But now that it was apparent something might have happened to harm someone because of her blindness and inability to see what was going on around her. And she was bound and determined to correct to the situation.

Kiba walked into the house quietly, naked except for some ridiculous-looking frog shorts. Hana had informed her that he had stumbled into the compound late last night and promptly fell asleep in the kennels in _that state_. She sighed and pointed to Kiba that he should sit on the couch across from her chair. He sat down and glared at the ground. Her nose twitched. Hana was correct. He positively _stunk_ of sex and that Nara boy. She sighed again. She raised a hand and rubbed her temple.

"Where is Akamaru?" Kiba asked.

"He is…ill." Tsume said vaguely. "Hana has him in a kennel on the other end of the compound. You cannot visit him for a few days."

She paused and stopped rubbing her temples. Sadly when _Kiba_ was in this state _Akamaru_ was also adversely affected and had to be boarded until it passed.

"Kiba, you are _Inuzuka_." Tsume pointed at him. Yes, she thought. I'll go for a clinical detached approach. If I must discus sex with my child, that is how I want to approach the concept. She raised her fingers to form a temple under her chin. "I should have told you this when you were younger. And for that I am sorry, but I did not realize that you were…of this age." Tsume paused, refusing to blush in front of her child, and then continued.

Kiba looked confused.

"_Inuzuka males_ of your age go through certain…common hormonal cycles where one looking to find their life-mate. There are rituals such as aggressive behavior, fighting, marking, and of course the act itself. Sometimes during the hormonal cycle the males can even become so possessed with the primal need that they pass out for hours afterwards-"

"Wait!" Kiba interrupted.

"What?" Tsume looked at Kiba.

"Are you saying I'm going to go on some sort of hormonal sex rampages?" Kiba yelled.

Tsume laughed at Kiba's typical way to cut through the to the core of the topic. "Well, only with one person, I suppose."

"Then I guess its good I haven't found this one person! You can just lock me up in the kennels until this hormonal cycle has just _passed_." Kiba said nervously, and then started to run a hand through his hair. But he looked at his hand and frowned at it then sniffed it delicately. There was as a sudden shocked look on his face. Tsume was amused that her son just now smelled what was probably all over himself right about now. What both Hana and herself had been smelling all morning. What apparently Kiba was refusing to believe for some reason. Kiba flushed beet red with embarrassment.

Tsume looked at Kiba for a moment then laughed again. "Don't you have _any memory_ of yesterday, Kiba?"

"Why don't you tell me something about yesterday since it's obvious I don't remember it?" Kiba growled angrily.

Tsume sighed. Sometimes these things happened. Her brother, _Kenta Inuzuka_, had been the same way. Her Mother had been too embarrassed to talk to him and he had taken his girlfriend and teammate one night. Thankfully it had turned out alright, but her brother couldn't remember the entire day from what she remembered. Too bad he passed away, Tsume sighed, and it would be nice for Kiba to have someone to talk to. Someone _sensitive_ and _thoughtful_. She rubbed her chin and had an epiphany. Hmm…maybe Iruka-sensei?

He had been Kiba's academy sensei and he was gay; everyone knew he was living with that _pervert_ Kakashi-san. So he wouldn't possibly judge Kiba for being with Shikamaru. Wait, that reminded her – wasn't Shikamaru also an academy sensei like Iruka? Maybe they were even friends. She would have to give him some books to read up about the _Inuzuka male mating rituals_, as possibly these conversations would go better with him. She would have to elicit his assistance. Yes, this was perfect.

"I think you are _smelling_ a pretty good idea of what happened yesterday, Kiba." Tsume answered with a shrug.

Kiba stood up.

"Sit down, son. I did _not_ dismiss you, yet!" Tsume raised her voice.

Kiba sat down reluctantly, ducking his head hands fisted angrily. He asked after a moment.

"If you have any feelings at all for the Nara boy, I'm sure you must realize that if your usual rash actions combined with no doubt your lack of a follow up response will confirm to him that you were merely using him." Tsume stated matter of factly.

Kiba looked stricken.

"I know he is your friend, but you cannot just go running over there. What would you say? You don't even exactly remember what you did. You would probably compound the situation further. I think you need professional help." Tsume said with a smile.

"Professional help?" Kiba said with a gulp.

Iruka was on his lunch break and sitting at his desk taking a well deserved break resting his eyelids when someone walked in him. No, he wasn't napping. Because _s__hinobi_ didn't sleep at work. If Kakashi caught him he would never hear the end of it. He was merely pausing between blinks. That was it. Then he heard a cough and he opened his eyes and Tsume Inuzuka was standing in front of him smiling indulgently. He sat up in his chair and snapped to attention.

"Err, hello!" Iruka said blinking.

"Che Iruka-sensei." She smiled at him.

He reached up and scratched at his nose anxiously and he remembered seeing the bites all over Shikamaru and he frowned. His features soured a little. "Is Kiba feeling under the weather?"

Tsume sat on the corner of Iruka's desk and she set a book down on Iruka's counter. "Funny that you should mention that, Iruka-sensei. Yes, he is."

"I hope it's nothing serious, Tsume-san." Iruka said.

She shook her head. "No, nothing life threatening. Not like that." She tapped the book that she had set on the desk. "I was wondering if I could beg a favor of you."

"Oh?" Iruka quirked an eyebrow.

Tsume's features colored a little. "I'm a single Mother you know, and I have prided myself on being able to be there for my Son for everything from his first steps to his first fist-fight." She sighed. "But this…well, I find myself a little out of my element. I have explained the basics to him and he gets that. But I'm also not the most…_well_…I'm not a very…I wanted him to talk to a counselor about it. And I'm not a counselor. And you're the most sensitive person I could think of, Iruka-sensei." After that long speech she smiled at him.

Iruka picked up the book she had been tapping and realized it was called _Inuzuka Clan Mating Rites _and there were dog eared pages and various bookmarks in it that obviously Tsume had left in it for him.

"Is this because of what happened with _Shikamaru_?" Iruka asked gently, watching the woman, gauging her response, as it would determine how he would proceeded, how he would help her, how he would respond to her.

She looked shocked but covered it well.

"How did you know?" Tsume inquired, looking around the room, as if he might have spies everywhere.

Iruka laughed and smiled warmly.

"The simplest explanation is most likely the correct one, Tsume-san." When the older woman still looked confused. Iruka explained. "Shikamaru told me of course."

Tsume nodded and looked concerned. "I hope he was okay. Was he injured…?"

"A little I think." Iruka sighed and tapped his finger on the book. "He was bitten a lot. I think his feelings are hurt. He _likes_ Kiba."

"Friend likes or _**like**_-_**likes**_?"

Iruka chuckled. "Should we pass a note after hall class Tsume-chan? Check box A for like and box B for only sort of like?" Iruka shook his head. "I think that's something for the boys to sort out, ne?"

The older woman sighed and folder her arms. "I just feel utterly useless in these matters!" She stood up and marched around the room pacing back and forth a little. "I wish I could go track something. Face an opponent. Do something for my boy! This sort of thing is not what I'm cut out for." She reached up and ran a hand through her rough hair. "Will you talk to him?"

Iruka would, not just because of Shikamaru but because he would help anyone that needed help and it was obvious Tsume and Kiba needed his help. He nodded. "Send Kiba over after school. I'll make him dinner. And I'll have a chat with him. I assume I should read the portions of this book you are leaving with me beforehand?" He raised an eyebrow.

The woman flushed looked vastly relieved. "_Thank-you so much_, Iruka-sensei. And if you ever need a favor from the _Inuzuka's_, you need only ask. Oh, and just a tip. Keep Kakashi's summons put away. With Kiba like this right now…it tends to make other animals…a little crazy. His scent is a little wild. Okay?"

Iruka nodded.

Tsume bowed politely, and with a swirl of smoke, she was gone.

Iruka picked up the book _Inuzuka Clan Mating Rites, _tucking it into his armand walked over to Shikamaru's classroom. He was sleeping in his classroom of course. Iruka walked up to his desk and dropped the large book heavily on the table in front of the younger man, which only made him blink open one eyelid lazily.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru blinked at Iruka. "What do I owe the pleasure? Is it time for another teacher meeting or something equally boring and similarly nonsensical?"

"No, actually I just had a very interesting conversation with Tsume Inuzuka." Iruka said with a grin as he sat on the edge of Shikamaru's desk.

Shikamaru sat up suddenly and nearly fell out of his chair. Iruka grinned wider.

"What about?" Shikamaru yelped.

"Well, about Kiba, of course." Iruka smiled then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And you might have come up I think."

Iruka pushed the book into Shikamaru's lap. "Apparently she wants me to give him some sort of Inuzuka Sex-Ed or something. I think she's actually too embarrassed to talk to him about it, frankly. You know how jounin's can absurdly uncomfortable about talking to the people in their lives about their feelings…" Iruka rolled his eyes.

Shikamaru looked confused.

"Just trust me on this, _they are_ and _they do_." Iruka said.

"Oh today's rule…the **5th rule is to Be Emotionally Healthy**." Iruka paused. "Which I actually find to be oddly fitting for today, don't you Shikamaru-kun?"

The younger man looked away, wrinkling his nose. "What a drag."

"Don't fall into the codependent trap and think you can "heal" him. It's smarter to look for a man who doesn't need healing." Iruka stated.

"Yes, because Kakashi-san is so very normal." Shikamaru said, opening the book and kicking back in the chair again.

Iruka smirked at that. He figured Shikamaru would say that but he had wanted to make sure.

"Did she say why Kiba was the way he was…or why he hasn't called?" Shikamaru asked, making it sound blasé.

"No, but I'm sure the answers are in that book, genius." Iruka sighed. "I'm meeting him after school to chat, so I'll need to book back by then. You can borrow it if you'd like…just give it to me before you go home."

"_Hhn_." replied Shikamaru as he was already flipping through the pages of the book reading rapidly.

Iruka sighed and left the classroom and walked back to his own. He didn't really need the particulars of a book to help him talk to Kiba anyways. He was always more of a talk-to-the-person about feelings sort of guy anyway.

Later, he prepared a hearty nikujaga, a beef stew onions and potatoes, knowing full well how much both Kiba and Kakashi liked meat. He chuckled to himself thinking how that sounded. Dirty Iruka, he thought to himself! Kakashi and his and his damn perverted books are really rubbing off on you! Also he knew that the leftovers would be great for the niken once they came back out once Kiba left. Iruka was in the middle of grading scrolls when Kiba arrived. He let him in and the younger man looked nervous and vaguely ashamed. He toed his sandals off and sat on the couch looked down at the floor.

He greeted his former student and asked him how he was, what he was up to, how he did he like the weather; lots of various banalities. But Kiba just continued to stare at his toes.

"Kiba, I made some nikujaga if you're hungry." Iruka offered. "And I've some beer if you'd like."

Kiba just continued to stare at his toes.

"Kiba I can get naked and dance for you if you'd like?" Iruka said with a laugh.

"_Iruka-sensei…!"_ Kiba said with a strangled, horrified voice, looking up at his teacher finally meeting his eyes.

Iruka laughed happily.

"Not really, I just wanted you to say something to shake you out of your little depression. It's not like you! And stop staring at your toes! What is the matter with you, Kiba? You're really not acting like yourself!" Iruka gave a concerned look and put his arm around Kiba.

The younger man looked so morose he seemed like he might cry.

"Iruka-sensei…you talked to my mom right? She told you everything?"

Iruka nodded.

Kiba took a deep breath "I think I _raped_ Shikamaru-kun!" He looked so horrified and miserable at the same time. Then he put his head in his hands. "And the worst part is that my mother knows too. And Hana! I can't believe they're covering for me!"

Iruka looked confused. "What?" He reached for the book. Maybe he should've _read_ that book after all.

"I have all these gaps in my memory…I can't even remember much about Sunday except that I know I had sex and all I could smell was Shikamaru all over me. And I'm so embarrassed Iruka-sensei! I can't face him now! I had to have forced him! He would _never_ do something like that!" Kiba fidgeted.

Iruka looked at the distraught and despondent face of Kiba. He wanted to assure the young man, but this wasn't his secret to spill. He set the book down and pulled Kiba into a tight embrace, letting the younger man cry silently against his shirt.

"Have you tried talking to Shikamaru, Kiba?" Iruka suggested quietly.

"No… I'm avoiding him." Kiba said miserably. "I'm thinking of going Tsunade-sama to try and get a long term assignment. Far, _far_ away."

Iruka stood and went into the kitchen and poured Kiba a large bowl of nikujaga, then handed it to him with a spoon as well as a beer. The Inuzuka boy started eating gratefully and Iruka patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm going to be right back, Kiba." Iruka said. "I need to make a quick phone call. How's the stew?"

"It's awesome Iruka-sensei." Kiba said, with a small smile.

Iruka smiled back at him, then walked back into the bedroom and was very thankful for the silencing jutsu that Kakashi had put on the room for their _nighttime activities_. He quickly dialed Shikamaru's cell phone number.

"Hey." Shikamaru said lazily.

"Hey there." Iruka said back. "Quick question: I never did get around to reading that entire boring book this afternoon." He started flipping through the pages looking at the full color illustrations. "Can you give me a quick…summary? _Heh_."

"I can't believe you didn't read it, Iruka-_sensei_." Shikamaru laughed.

"Well, I was going to but then I figured I could just give him a pep talk and that would be fine. And then I got busy making dinner and kinda ran out of time. But it's a little more complicated, isn't it?" Iruka sighed and leaned against the dresser, reading some of the words as he talked.

"He doesn't remember Sunday." Iruka said. "Well, he remembers parts…but not everything. Actually he smells it on him but he can't remember it…he thinks he _raped_ you, Shika."

"What!" Shika yelled through the phone.

"Yeah, he's got it in his head that you are straight, I think. He's like Naruto in that sense. He gets these ideas in his head sometimes and you kind of just can't shake them loose. I don't know. Like a dog with a bone." Iruka chuckled. "You're going to need to talk to him, too, you know."

Shikamaru quickly explained things about Kiba in a concise and efficient manner, and then paused. "How are you having this conversation with me while he's there, Iruka?" He asked suddenly.

"Oh, Kakashi put a silencing jutsu on our bedroom. It's a very nice seal. Works _very_ well…You know, in case there are any loud bang, moans or screams or-"

"No, please _stop_. I really don't want to know or hear any more. You people are weird." Shikamaru said. "_Troublesome_." Then he hung up.


	6. Rule 6: Mind Your Manners

_Rules of Matchmaking #6 – Mind Your Manners_

Shikamaru glared at his reflection through the steam in the mirror. The damn bites were _still_ there. They were red, inflamed and now a shade of purple as well as slightly yellow at some points. He had just showered and was standing in his bathroom in his pants and shoes. He sighed and leaned forward over the sink and turned his neck to frown at a particularly vicious one just to the left of his collarbone.

"Tch." He said in a tired voice to his reflection. "_Troublesome_."

He quickly formed the henge again over his skin and rubbed at his eye, turning away from his mirror image and slid his shirt into place, and then shrugged into his flak jacket then opened the door. He very nearly ran into his Mother. Had she been hovering outside the bathroom? _Eavesdropping_? Probably. Shikamaru scowled and brushed past her down the stairs towards the front door of the house. Why did he keep confronting his parents in the foyer these days? Patterns kept repeating. He needed to make a change in his habits. Maybe start climbing out his bedroom window? That would be a better strategy. No, his life was not a shogi game; he thought to himself. Actually, he _needed_ to get going to work. He was already running late and he still hadn't written up a lesson plan for the day.

"Shikamaru!" He heard his Mother say behind him, calling out to him waspishly.

He half turned at the door, stopping to acknowledge that he'd heard her.

"How was your date with the _Inoichi girl_?" She asked walking closer, her wooden zōri making clacking noises on the tile of the entrance way.

He sighed, expecting the question. Shikamaru had been avoiding her and the topic for the past few days, sticking close to his room and staying late at work.

"She has a name, Mother. _Ino_." Shikamaru said, turning around slightly. "Her name is Ino."

His mother started smiling and he didn't like the wolfish quality to it. "Yes, Ino-chan. You've been friends with her for your whole life. The flower of Konoha, ne? So…how was it?"

Shikamaru realized immediately he shouldn't have corrected his Mother calling her the Inoichi girl, but it something about his Mother just got under his skin and he said it before he thought…something he _never_ did.

"Mother, she is _just_ a friend." He said trying to stay calm. He had promised his Father that he would be nicer.

"But-" His mother began again.

"Mother, _damnit!_" He heard himself shouting. Shit, his promise hadn't lasted long. But, it was the culmination of everything of the past few days, weeks, months – the strain of everything building up on him – feeling like a failure in her eyes. The stress that she was constantly putting on him, nagging at him, and his own personal knowledge that she would never be happy with his choices, that he would just ultimately fail her again. He loved his Mother…he really did. But she was suffocating him with her pressure. "She's _dating_ Choji! Lay off me!" He yelled. _"What a drag!"_

He yanked opened the front door and propelled himself out of it in a rush, going so far as to even put chakra into his footsteps to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Shikamaru made it work early that day although later he would realize he didn't even remember how. He was sitting behind his desk staring at a textbook and a scroll writing up a lesson plan blindly. Students filed in and he blinked up at them absently. He went through the motions and it wasn't until after work that he really 'woke up' and started thinking more clearly.

Funny how your brain can function like that, he thought to himself. He scratched at the back of his head. He strolled, hands in his pockets, over to Iruka-sensei's classroom. Kakashi-san was in the room, sitting in one of the desks, legs crossed, reading his porn. Shikamaru nodded to him.

"Yo." Kakashi-san saluted him in his manner. "Still fighting rogue squirrels?"

Shikamaru shot him a withering glare.

Kakashi chuckled and went back to his dirty little book.

Iruka looked up at him from where he was sitting behind his desk grading and smiled. "Konbanwa, Shikamaru, how are you? I haven't seen you today." The tanned man grinned wider. "Looking for another rule?"

"It's Thursday…and it's _almost_ the weekend." Shikamaru shrugged and sat on the edge of Iruka-sensei's desk. He knew that wasn't really an answer or anything. But to another teacher it kind of was. Weekends were sacred. They worked for the weekends.

Iruka nodded knowingly.

"**The 6****th**** Rule is: Mind Your Manners**," Iruka started and then laughed. "The rule is pretty much self explanatory. No one wants their date to act like a _brute_. Men are understandably appalled when their bright, attractive, funny date suddenly does something tacky like double-dipping. You don't need to be _Emily Post_, but if you display the sensitivity of a lamppost, don't be surprised if the first date is the last one."

Kakashi had been listening intently from where he was sitting and he spoke up. "Iruka, what's 'double-dipping'…?" He put his book away and leered. "Sounds…_kinky_."

Iruka rolled his eyes and ignored him.

Shikamaru snorted indelicately and looked at the now-vaguely-flustered Iruka. "This rule can't even possibly apply to Kakashi-san. _He_ doesn't have the sensitivity of a lamppost."

"Yes, well." Iruka flushed. "He has…_other_ qualities." Iruka cleared his throat, blushing more. "And he may not _know_ what double-dipping is but I've never seen him do it."

"Oh…I'm very intrigued, sensei." Kakashi had moved to sand behind Iruka, his hands flat on the desk, his head nudging very close to Iruka's face. "Tell me more about this _double-dipping_. There is a first time for everything, ne? I'm an excellent student."

Shikamaru was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Iruka was blushing quite fiercely now.

"Are you so sure he's _house-broken_, Iruka?" Shikamaru teased his former teacher.

"Oh shut up, Shikamaru." Iruka snapped.

Shikamaru decided it was time to be leaving now. He really didn't need to see what else the two were going to get up to in the classroom. He'd heard rumors and he really didn't need to see the live floor show. He waved at the two teachers in farewell and transported out of the room and found himself walking down the streets of Konoha. He wasn't going home for a while. He really didn't want to face his Mother for a while. Maybe he'd wait until much later. Until his parents were asleep, probably. Yes, that was best.

He stopped by the BBQ restaurant where his friends usually hung out and peeked in the window. Ino and Choji were sitting in a booth. Hoping they wouldn't mind if he joined them, he walked into the restaurant and sat down opposite them.

"Hey." Shikamaru said, inclined his head in greeting.

"Hiya Shika." Ino smiled at him. "Nice to see you!"

"Oi Shikamaru!" Choji smiled in the middle of a bite.

"Don't eat with your mouth full!" Ino chided Choji playfully and he blushed, and then set his chopsticks down.

It was a testament to their relationship and a feat in of itself that the young man actually complied and set his chopsticks down without any argument. Choji just turned and softly smiled at Ino.

"Are you going the party tomorrow?" Ino asked, a faint blush tinting her features.

"What party?" Shikamaru asked, waving down a waitress and ordering some BBQ of his own.

"You're so clueless sometimes!" Ino sighed and rolled her eyes while fixing her hair. Was it possible to call _him_ clueless while simultaneously being vain and fixing your hair?

"You know…_Nobumoto Daisuke's_ costume party." Choji clarified, and then took a bite of his dinner. A _normal_ sized bite. Choji said that like it was supposed to mean something to Shikamaru.

"Daisuke?" Shikamaru frowned. He only knew of him in a vague manner. Like, he'd maybe only heard the man's name once or twice.

"Yeah, he's a chuunin; he graduated a few years before us. He has a yearly costume party – it's a big deal. _Everybody_ goes! Are you coming?" Ino said excitedly, leaning forward in the booth.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. He vaguely remembered Ino and Choji talking about the party a few days ago, but that had been the first time. Normally he would blow it off. It sounded like a drag. He didn't really like parties. And a costume party? What would he dress as? But then he remembered the rule from a few days ago? What was it? Rule #3 – _Make Dating a Priority_. He was _supposed_ to get out there and meet people.

"I don't have an invitation." Shikamaru said hesitantly, frowning.

Ino shook her hand in the air dismissively. "Doesn't matter, you can come with us."

The waitress dropped off his plate of food and Shikamaru started eating. He paused and looked up interrupting Ino feeding Choji. He rather wished he _hadn't_ seen that.

"So, I have to wear a costume or something…?" He asked with a smirk.

"Ano…" Choji stuttered with a blush. "Yes, well, it _is_ a costume party, Shikamaru."

"What sort of costume do I have to wear?" Shikamaru asked tapping his chopsticks in a staccato on the table. He was starting to feel like a third wheel.

"Think like a _Halloween_ party, Shika." Ino answered taking a small bite of BBQ.

He arched an eyebrow. "But its _springtime_."

"So?" Ino laughed.

"I've just never heard of a costume party-" Shikamaru began.

Choji was smiling at him and shaking his head.

"Shika…because you go to _sooo_ many parties!" Ino laughed again, her eyes curling up in up amusement.

He sighed and waved his hand at them, knowing they were right. "_Yeah, yeah_."

It was true. He never did go to parties. It was another reason the relationship with Temari didn't work out. She had wanted to go to parties and he preferred to stay in. Well, it wasn't so much that he didn't want to go to the parties…he just didn't enjoy going _with her_. She was loud, pushy and frankly kind of mean. She was always playing mind games with him and he hated that. He never felt like he could relax around her. It was very…_taxing_.

"Friday night at 8pm. You can meet up with us at my place and we'll all go together." Ino said with a bright smile.

He nodded and finished his food with a few quick gulps, swallowed his drink of water to wash it down and then waved at his friends in goodbye. He smiled ruefully; part of him was very happy for them but they were also very wrapped up in their world and barely waved back. Shikamaru made his way home and climbed into his bedroom window quietly, skillfully avoiding his parents for the night.

The next day after work, Shikamaru found himself peeking into Iruka's classroom first to make sure the coast was clear. Iruka was erasing the chalkboard. He thought the coast was clear until he peered further into the room. Damnit, of course the copy-nin was there again. Didn't the man ever go on missions anymore? _Just his luck_. He just wanted to ask Iruka for some simple costume ideas but Kakashi was literally tied up and hanging upside down in the corner of the classroom. He didn't want to know why. Was this was some kinky thing between him and Iruka? He grimaced slightly.

Shikamaru walked into the room.

"Don't you ever go on missions anymore, Kakashi-san?" He said irritably, scratching the back of his head.

"Maa…Shikamaru, seems you beat up all the rabid squirrels in town." Kakashi smiled. "Nothing for us poor jounin's to do."

Shikamaru glared at him. "So…did you ever find out what double-dipping really was?"

Kakashi laughed, his silver hair waving wildly around while upside down. Shikamaru groaned. Oh, great, he thought, he should've kept his mouth shut. "I was very surprised to learn it was something to do with an impolite way to eat chips and dip." The man struggled a bit in his bindings then seemed to give up. "But after _much debate_ between Iruka and myself on this matter that it sounded like something kinky, I looked it up myself on the Internet. And, as it turns out, it is _also_ a term for something kinky."

Shikamaru shook his head. "You are such a pervert, Kakashi-san. And please, don't tell me what you found out."

"What?" Kakashi somehow managed to look sad even while upside down and tied up. "Don't you want to expand your knowledge?"

"_Troublesome_. No." He shook his head again. "No, I _really_ don't."

Iruka had finished cleaning the chalkboard and he walked up him. "_Ignore him_, Shika. He's in time-out. So, how can I help you, Shikamaru?"

"What is today's rule?" He said, thinking to himself internally. '_Time out?'…? Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei are so perverted-!_

"Let's see…what was it today…ah yes…**The 7****th**** Rule is: Similarity Breeds Success.**" Iruka paused and then continued. "This doesn't mean to imply you should date your own Bunshin clone, but when you're getting to know someone you should have similar core values."

Shikamaru nodded to himself thinking it over.

"Anything else I could help you with?" Iruka asked as he piled various scrolls into his messenger bag.

"_Ahh_…" He dug his hands into his pockets nervously. "Oh, I need a few costume ideas, actually, Iruka."

"That's more my area of expertise, actually, Shikamaru." Kakashi snickered from his corner.

Shikamaru felt his face flushing slightly.

"Which is why I asked _Iruka_, damnit." He said, jutting out his lower lip. "There's this party I was invited to…"

"Oh, Daisuke's party." Iruka nodded and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

Kakashi interrupted. "Who's that? What party?"

"Shut up, _you_." Iruka made an impatient gesture then preformed a simple jutsu and silenced Kakashi.

"It's a costume party. Daisuke is a chuunin a couple years older than me. Apparently his party is an annual tradition thing and a pretty big deal. I've never gone before." Shikamaru paused and looked at Iruka. "Have you ever been before?"

"Yeah, it's pretty fun." Iruka smiled as he sat on the edge of his desk. "Although I didn't go last year."

"What sort of costumes do people wear?" He asked. "Frankly, I've never been to this kind of thing before."

"I'll tell you exactly what you should dress up as, Shika." Iruka smiled happily. "Especially since I know what _Kiba_ will be wearing at the party."

Shikamaru suddenly looked more interested. "Oh?"

Iruka brought his fingers together in a steeple under his chin evilly. "Oh yes, I shall make you look damn good tonight, Shikamaru!"

"You're creeping me out a little, sensei." He said, scratching the back of his head.

A few hours later, Shikamaru left Iruka and Kakashi's apartment and headed towards Ino's parent's place feeling a little awkward, but slightly more confident. Iruka had assured him this costume was very popular and looked good on him. He wasn't sure, but he'd see what Ino thought when he got to her place. Of course it would be too late to change at that point, but he was curious to see what she thought.

The Flower Shop was closed up for the night and he walked over to the Inoichi-san's doorbell and rang it. After a few moments, Ino and Choji both opened the door. Shikamaru stifled a laugh. Choji was dressed as a caveman of some sort and Ino was dressed in some sort of revealing cavewoman outfit with fake plastic bones in her hair, and plastic dangly bones hanging from her ears. It was pretty funny. Choji smiled at him.

"What are you supposed to be?" Choji asked.

"Isn't it _obvious_?" Ino said and smacked his shoulder.

Choji rubbed his head where she had smacked him. "Well, _obviously_ it isn't my delicate little flower."

Ino pouted for a moment then laughed. "He's a vampire!"

Shikamaru grinned and showed off his fangs. "Like the henge?"

"You look pretty hot, Shika." Ino said as Choji and her left her house and shut the door behind them. She made sure it was locked and they started off down the streets.

He was had worn his hair down long; Iruka had even styled it for him despite his protests. It had some sort of mousse in it and he did admit it looked pretty good although he would never, ever spend thirty minutes on his own long dark hair. It was ridiculous. Who had that kind of time? _What a drag!_ Then the man had actually put black eyeliner on his eyes. _Eyeliner!_ He had assured him that it looked good, so he let him. They put a simple henge on him to add the fangs and continue covering up his bites, and to make him look paler.

Iruka had let him borrow leather pants, because he had been planning on wearing jeans and Iruka had said that _just wouldn't do_. Surprisingly, they actually fit pretty well and had laces up the side. Shikamaru really didn't want to know why his ex-sensei had sexy leather pants, or what he did when he wore them. Actually he had a pretty good idea, and he was just going to skirt the entire idea. _Ick_. Kakashi had wanted him to wear some sort of frilly, poufy top with the leather pants, but he had nixed that idea – where did the jounin get these ideas? _Icha Icha?_ The man was certifiable! He had actually seemed to get his feelings hurt when he wouldn't wear the damned poufy top and had to console him and promise to play spar with him next week. The whole afternoon had been surreal.

So, instead he wore one of his mesh shirts. He thought went better and he felt more comfortable in it. Iruka approved although he had wanted him to wear some bizarre S&M looking thing with complicated looking black leather straps. That shirt _also_ went in the category of clothing he didn't need to know that his mild-mannered ex-sensei owned. He shuddered at the memory.

He could hear the music. Shikamaru looked up. They were nearing the chuunin apartment district. Choji and Ino were chattering and laughing away about some movie they had recently seen about hangovers.

"Hey is this the party?" He asked inclining his head towards the apartment complex where the music was coming from.

"No, it must be some other loud party." Ino snorted, flicking her hair, the little bones in her hair and on her ears whirling around madly. "Genius, my ass."

Choji chuckled and grabbed Ino's hand. She smiled at him.

Shikamaru shook his head. "_Troublesome_."

"C'mon, let's go inside." She said.

They started forward towards the party. Once inside glasses were thrust into their hands immediately and told to have fun! A short while later, Shikamaru found himself squashed against a wall, bored, deaf from the loud music, watching the people dancing wildly, shouting incoherently, and drinking unabatedly. He glanced through the crowd, having lost sight of Ino and Choji a while back. Then he saw them way in the back – they were by the food table – making out. Well, that was nice, he thought. He took a sip of his drink. It was some cocktail he had recently heard – called 'swamp ninja'. He had no idea what the hell it was. It didn't taste very good, either way. It tasted only dimly alcoholic, but he was definitely buzzed.

Iruka had been wrong – Kiba hadn't come. And this party was entirely _troublesome_.

Shikamaru made his way through the crowd making his way to the door. It was late; he might as well go home. He would've said goodbye to Ino and Choji but they were obviously busy and he didn't want to interrupt. As he was walking through the mass of dancing costumed bodies, when he crashed into someone, stepping on someone's foot.

"I'm sorry!" He yelled, trying to be heard over the music.

Then he realized _who_ he had crashed into.

Kiba.

He looked back in surprise.

Kiba was staring at him. _Looking at him_.

Shikamaru licked his lips. Kiba was dressed as a werewolf. How adorable. He had henged ears on his shaggy head. He was…bare-chested. Standing there in nothing but these low slung jeans…and barefoot. And a tail. He had a tail swishing back and forth, Shikamaru could see it right there. Fuck. _Primal. Primal. Primal._

He swallowed slowly. Wait, had Kiba said something while he was dumbstruck and staring? He struggled to shift his gaze upwards and focus on Kiba's face. Stop looking at his pants! _Primal_. Damnit! Focus!

"-I'm-sorry!" Kiba was saying. But he looked sad.

Shikamaru couldn't hear him. His words were drowned out by the music and the party and the throng that were yelling and shouting and dancing around them. It was maddening.

"What?" Shikamaru yelled, stepping a little closer. Oh, kami, he could _smell_ Kiba. He smelled like…his favorite pasture to could gaze in. Like sunshine and summertime and happiness and _primal_. Fuck! What was the man saying again…?

"-Sorry-! So-" Kiba looked pained and looked down at his hands then at Shikamaru expectantly.

Wait…wait…Shikamaru's mind raced…was he apologizing to him for the sex…_right here_ in the middle of this party? In front of people? Granted because of the music they couldn't really hear. But…is that what he was doing? First of all that was completely inappropriate, but it _was_ Kiba…the man didn't seem to know boundaries or etiquette. He might not think it was embarrassing to Shikamaru.

"It's okay!" Shikamaru said and nodded. He smiled at Kiba.

Kiba looked confused. "But…?" He scratched his head and because of the henge, it made it look like he was scratching his doggie-ear. It was so friggen adorable. Shikamaru's mouth opened a little.

The dog-nin flushed as if remembering something. The crowd in the party surged and it pushed them closer together. Kiba and Shikamaru were now so close they were almost pressed together. _Almost dancing_. Shikamaru could feel Kiba's breath against his neck. At least he could hear the man better, he thought.

"You're not mad at me, Shikamaru?" Kiba asked.

"No." Shikamaru said, and then after a moment. "_Well_…"

Kiba turned his head and looked at him intently, putting his hand on Shika's arm.

"Well, I'm mad that you were _gone_ when I woke up." Shikamaru said looking up at Kiba.

Kiba had the most incredulous expression his face.

"You left a lot of bite marks. I've had to deal with Kakashi-san's stupid jokes about them all fucking week. It's such a drag." Shikamaru continued in Kiba's ear. "And you didn't say anything. That was kinda of weird. I would prefer you to be more vocal next time."

"_Next time_?" Kiba's voice squeaked. Then he looked at Shikamaru carefully. "But…" Kiba blinked twice. "But…you're _straight_."

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "No, I'm not."

Kiba shook his head vigorously. "No, you dated _Temari_."

"Yes, but that doesn't change the _facts_, Kiba." He stated.

"Huh?" Kiba said in his adorably confused voice.

"I'm gay." Shikamaru said, but the music was so loud and earsplitting in the room and Kiba was staring at him in confusion. The man was just looking at him as if he were some sort of enigma, when he clearly wasn't. Was he not baring his soul for him right now at this silly costume party?

"I'm GAY!" Shikamaru shouted, repeating it again for Kiba. He had to make him understand.

Of course the music chose _that_ moment, _that exact moment_ to switch songs, and everyone turned and looked at him.

Kiba was looking at him; it felt as if every shinobi in the village was at that party. And it felt oddly liberating. He should feel ashamed he thought, he should feel worried that this would get back to his Mother, because he knew it would. Gossip was the backbone of the shinobi world, and his Mother fed on it like everyone else in the village. He should've told his parents a long time ago. Kami this actually felt amazing – this sense of relief to be out from…_hiding_. But right now? All he cared about was making Kiba understand.

Kiba still looked a little lost and confused.

So Shikamaru leaned forward, put his hands on Kiba's chest gave him a hesitant, sloppy kiss. He was slightly buzzed after all. After a moment, Kiba returned the kiss, correcting the route of Shikamaru's mouth tenderly, so that they would do it in synchrony. He deepened the kiss a bit, by separating Kiba's lips with his tongue and soon the kiss became passionate, as their teeth collided and tongues danced and caressed one another. Shikamaru felt a grip on his forearms realized Kiba was pulling him tighter, almost painfully close.

Nothing mattered anymore, nothing at all. In an instant, Kiba's lips slid from Shikamaru's mouth, and instinctively looked for the swan-like neck, biting at it softly. The Nara heir tilted his head aside, to give him more access, naturally; he himself sunk in the pool of silent pleasure. The taller man was trembling, he could tell. Playful tongue and teeth graced his neck with kisses and bites, at first gently, and then more aggressively, as the time passed. A large hand ran over his Adam's apple, wandered up to follow the line of his jaw, and ended in his silky dark hair. Apparently whatever Iruka had done to his hair was appreciated. It remained there for a moment, only to drop to Shikamaru's shoulder, going down to his collarbone, clutching the mesh shirt.

He released a slight grunt of pleasure; his belly aching in anticipation.

"We should go…" Shikamaru said huskily.

Kiba paused. "Uhhh…_yeah_." He looked around. People were staring. He seemed to realize they were in the middle of a party, in the middle of a dance floor making out. He made the transportation signs and they were gone with a poof of smoke.

A moment later they were in Kiba's bedroom. Shikamaru looked at Kiba and smirked. He was going to make a wise-ass remark about the man thinking he was easy or something but then suddenly he was being kissed and whatever wise-ass remark he had been contemplating fled from his mind. And all he could think was: _Primal!_ _Primal! Primal!_

Kiba pushed Shikamaru onto the bed and they both fell in a tangle of limbs, shedding clothing haphazardly.

"Nice pants." Kiba said, his hands on the leather pants, trying to figure out how to get them off, and not finding any zipper.

"Thanks." He laughed slightly, blushing. He reached down and started unlacing them on the side and doing this little shimmy to get out of them, rolling his hips. Kiba was next to him lying on the bed watching, eyes heavy lidded. He was still wearing the henge with the little ears on his head and the tail.

Shikamaru wasn't wearing any underwear.

"_Very nice_." Kiba's voice growled.

Shikamaru reached over and started tugging off Kiba's pants, but the other man was ahead of him.

Kiba had already tugged his jeans free and was wearing boxers with little paws on them. Kami, could he be any cuter? Then the dog-nin was pressing him back on the bed and his full lips were back on his neck. He was really obsessed with his neck. Shikamaru laid there for a moment unmoving, ready to take whatever Kiba was offering. He had read about this in the book. _Marking_. It was a sign of dominance. He was asserting himself; it was part of the Inuzuka foreplay. He didn't mind. It was kinda hot.

Remembering what he had read…a small smirk on his mouth, he flipped Kiba over and bit _him_ on the neck then licked him. Kiba moaned in pleasure, grinding his cock into Shikamaru through is thin boxers, and then flipped Shikamaru back over, pinning him back down.

"Like that, do you?" Shikamaru asked.

Kiba's eyes flickered half open. He ran his hand up Shikamaru's chest. "Yes I do." He said thickly. "You've got some sort of henge on. Why? Is it for the party?"

Shikamaru looked up at the man and tried to shrug, but the way he was pinned, he really couldn't. "Uhhh…sort of. I can release it if you want?" He said hesitantly.

The man had his hand near his throat. "Yes, please."

Shika released the henge and he knew the bite marks, scratches and bruises would be back in all their purplish and red glory all over his neck and chest.

Kiba's breath hissed out between his teeth and he ran his hand shakily over the marks. "_Fuck_."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrow and shifted slightly, blushing.

"Do they hurt?" Kiba whispered as he leaned down and nuzzled the smaller man's neck, gingerly kissing and licking each of them individually.

"Not really." He answered honestly.

Kiba looked at Shikamaru, into his eyes; he was biting his bottom lip in a nervous gesture. "Did you…mind it?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, and then wrapped his arms around Kiba's neck. He shifted his legs to spread them a little so that Kiba could now easily feel the evidence of his erection against his own. Shikamaru leaned his head against the pillow and arched his neck back a little.

"Not at all, Kiba. I liked it." Shikamaru said and then whispered. "_It's very…primal_."


	7. Rule 7: Present a Challenge

_Rules of Matchmaking #7 – Present a Challenge_

Kiba looked down at Shikamaru and shuddered. The man beneath him was lying in _his_ bed, half underneath _him_, panting softly, his long dark spread out on _his_ pillow. He was staring up at him with desire hooding his eyes instead of laziness; he was flushed and sweating – falling prey to the lust that was rapidly consuming them both. Kiba reached out and traced a finger along one of the bruised bites that marked the man's collarbone and along his chest. Kami, he couldn't explain the possessive feelings, the absolute pleasure he took from seeing these marks on _this man_. The way he in particular smelled. That Shikamaru was walking around in the world with his mark on him was driving him wild – he couldn't explain and he didn't want to try and begin deciphering his feelings at the present.

Before Kiba realized it what was happening – Shikamaru's mouth was reaching up to kiss him, his lips firm and demanding. The man deepened the kiss, and he lost the feel of his lips, enjoying the sensation of the other man's his skilled tongue against his own. When he eventually pulled away and lowered his head back to the pillow, his lips looked bruised and well kissed – Kiba was breathing hard and there was a steady heat pooling in my groin. _Fuck_ – Shikamaru was a good kisser.

Kiba growled and lowered his head. He found himself biting the Nara's neck again until he heard him groaning underneath him.

"-nngh!" Shikamaru gasped while arching into Kiba's touch.

The purely _primal_ nature of the sound resonated Kiba's pulse surge; he dipped down his head down lower to taste and smell more of this man. His skin was warm and salty and smelled amazing. Inhaling deeply, he took in his rich scent and let it fill him. Scents were very erotic to the Inuzuka. Kami, this man smelled…like _his_. His hand traveled down the dip of his chest to his flat stomach, his fingers moving over his rippling muscles slowly. Kiba was swollen painfully hard, but he was also burdened with guilt from their last time. He wanted…make this more special somehow.

Kiba ran his fingers over Shikamaru's arms lightly; using teasing touches that he hoped would drive him mad. Every once and awhile stopping to kiss and lick, nipping and nibbling. His hands were calloused from hard labor around the compound, working with the dogs, from fighting, from too many close calls with kunais over the years. He ran the roughed pads of his fingers down Shikamaru's white chest and abdomen, watching the flesh rise up, watching the man watch him – watching his breathe hitch, watching his eyes glaze over, watching Shikamaru lick his lips.

He scratched slow patterns over his chest, circling around his dark nipples twice before bringing his nails over them torturously slow. Kiba continued to work his fingers and nails over the man's body, bringing them down over his stomach, across his hips, down his thighs, and back up the insides of his legs – stopping when he was inches away from his throbbing member. Shikamaru's hips bucked slightly, straining upwards.

"_Kiba_…" Shikamaru exhaled and shot an exasperated look at him from beneath heavily lidded, barely open eyes.

Kiba grinned. He abruptly gripped the base of Shikamaru's arousal and appraised it silently. It was practically a piece of art. Far larger than he had remembered (since his memory of that day was very hazy), and it was the same beautiful white as the rest of the man. Unable to wait any longer, he flicked his tongue over the tip and tasted the clear droplets of liquid that had gathered there. He tasted even better than he looked. Kiba closed his eyes and let his tongue slide along the underside of his length, over the gently pulsing vein.

Kiba swirled his tongue lightly around the tip before closing his mouth around him, drawing him into the wet warmth of his mouth and making the Nara man reach down clench the sheets between his fists. He swallowed as much of him as he could before sucking lightly and slowly pulling his mouth back up his length. A soft moan sounded from Shikamaru, so he repeated the movement, desperate to hear that sound again.

Then a hand reached down and gripped Kiba's hair painfully and forcibly pulled him up to meet his gaze.

"_Kiba_." Shikamaru began his voice deceptively calm, his eyes deceptively placid. "While I appreciate the foreplay and all, I think you can see that I'm not a _woman_." He paused. "Can you please _stop_ treating me like I'm made of glass or something?"

He swallowed and stared the other man. "Fuck. I was…just trying to make up for the other…you know…because I was so…_rough_ last time." Kiba blushed and felt his shoulders slump and looked away.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes. "Che…I thought I told you I _liked_ it?" He arched an eyebrow at the dog-nin.

Kiba reached a hand up and scratched his head, unable to conceal the look of surprise on his face. He remembered Shika saying something like that, but the implications of it hadn't really sunk into his brain at the time. He cursed at himself internally, wishing he was as smart as someone like Shikamaru so he could say something clever and sexy. Instead he just looked down at the other man and blinked. Fuck, he was hot! Damnit, he couldn't _think_ at all right now.

"Kiba, _please_, I need you now." Shikamaru said, reaching down to pull off Kiba's paw-print boxers. He kicked out of the boxers and they fell to the ground.

He growled and gripping Shikamaru's hips painfully; turning the man to face down onto the bed and pressed his naked body flush against his. The scent of his skin rose up and mingled with mine, making Kiba's heat surge unexpectedly. His mouth worked over the white skin of his back, his tongue trailing over the white expanse of his back. Reaching forward, he grabbed a bottle of lube from his nightstand, flipping open the cap and pouring some out into his hand. In one fluid movement, he applied the liquid onto his aching erection, coating it amply before moving to position myself at Shikamaru's entrance.

Shikamaru strained a bit then, moving backwards slightly, wiggling his hips unconsciously. He raised his hips in front of him, granting him access to his waiting backside. Kiba's hands moved down the curving dip of his lower back, coming to rest at his waist and holding him tight. Moving forward, he slowly sank his arousal into the tight, wet heat awaiting him. Throwing his head back, he relished the feeling of Shikamaru's body tightly enveloping the length of him, gradually slipping forward inch by inch. A slow tremor worked through Kiba when his hips met the ones in front of him, the whole of his erection buried deep inside Shikamaru's body.

"Fuck!" Kiba groaned. "So _tight_…oh…_Shikamaru!"_

Kiba leaned forward and pressed his stomach against Shikamaru's back, rubbing his nose his gorgeous hair and inhaling his scent. He shuddered. Damnit, he smelled so good! Moving back up so that he was kneeling upright, he tangled one hand in his hair and gripped his hip tightly with the other. Slowly, Kiba pulled back out of him, stilling for a brief moment before moving forward again. A low growl escaped his lips, and he felt Shika's body gradually relax around him. Gradually, his movements began to entice the pleasure from the Nara's body, and within a few strokes, he was writhing his hips and rocking back onto him with each of his thrusts.

The pleasure was _intense_… like a roaring fire through Kiba's veins. A slow heat was pooling in his groin, and he knew that he would probably not last exceptionally long. Kiba fisted his fingers in Shikamaru's hair, pulling roughly and yanking the man's head up, stretching his gorgeous neck; he had to _see_ the bites. Leaning forward, he dipped in and bit that neck sharply, again, pressing his lips to his flesh and creating a gradual suction. He tightened his grip on the man, fucking him, pushing him back onto me and hearing him moaning throatily.

"_Kiba!_" Shikamaru moaned. "-damnit…fuck!…_primal!_"

The moan drew a string of responses from Kiba's own body, most of them unbidden. His thrusts into Shikamaru's body grew faster and more urgent, pressing him deeper into the mattress with every thrust. The grip he had on his hair tightened, to the point of drawing pain, as did the hold he had on his hip. Kiba rocked into him fiercely, shaking his body with every move forward. Shikamaru was moaning with each thrust, his eyes closed and his hands gripped the headboard so tightly that his knuckles were a mix of purple and white.

Kiba felt his release starting to build, and adjusted his strokes to hit that spot within Shikamaru that only he knew existed. Rocking into it hard, he drew out a series of low growls and deep moans from the body beneath him, the shoulders shuddering with each breath he took. Releasing his grip on his hair, Kiba held the man's white hips with both hands, slamming into him a little harder, hitting his sweet spot with each thrust. He reached around with one hand and stroked the man's cock, making him gasp in pleasure.

"_Kiba…Kiba…primal!_" Shikamaru murmured incoherently.

Kiba idly wondered what this primal business was. He would have to ask him about it later.

Soon enough Kiba's fist was just a blur on Shika's cock, and he had that slim body taut and trembling and ready to explode. Shikamaru screamed and spilled, hot and sticky on his pillow, over Kiba's fist, but he didn't stop stroking him; not until the last spasm pulsed through Shikamaru's cock.

"Shikamaru!" he howled. _"Fuck!"_

A purely _primal_ growl worked up from Kiba's chest and through his lips as his own orgasm washed over him. His body tensed and released around him, pushing him over his own edge into ecstasy. The pleasure mounted to an unbearable peak, and a soft moan fell from his lips as he fell forward to clutch at the body beneath him, his body shaking with the force of his release.

"Fuck!" he shuddered again and pulled Shikamaru into his arms, little aftershocks of lust and ecstasy still coursing through is body. His body was still tingling. He tossed the dirty pillow on the ground, closed his eyes and pulled the blankets up around them and kissed the other man on the forehead, his eyes, his cheeks. Shikamaru was boneless and drained complied, for once silent.

"_Fuuuck_." Kiba shuddered once again, his dick still half hard, body still electric. The scent of this man was perfect. He nuzzled him and closed his eyes.

Shikamaru adjusted himself in his arms and wrapped his leg around his.

Kiba peeked a single eye at the Nara man. He held his breath and whispered. "Can you spend the night?"

"_Yeah, yeah_." Shikamaru smiled softly. "I'd love to."

Hours later morning light slanted in through his window and Kiba woke to two very cold feet pressed against his calves. He frowned. He also had an arm around his waist and a very warm body pressed against him. _What the?_ Then he remembered the previous night and it all came back to him. Oh yeah…I'm in bed with Shikamaru. That sounds so weird, he thought to himself. But, _fuck_, it had been good. Ne, amazing! Kiba was reminded of that conversation he had had with Kakashi-san all those months ago on _that_ _mission_ when the copy-nin had asked him he'd ever done Shikamaru in his classroom. What had possessed that man to ask him such a question?

"You're _thinking_, Kiba." Shikamaru said, pulling the hand away from where it had been laying around his waist.

Kiba suddenly felt cold. He wanted to yank the hand back but their relationship, if it was one, felt too new. He felt awkward and self-conscious.

"Huh?" Kiba said, flipping over in bed to lay flat, arms crossed behind his head.

Shikamaru leaned up on one shoulder. He looked down at him. "I can hear the gears grinding in your head."

Kiba snorted. "I'm not the one who's always thinking twenty moves ahead, Shika. I'm usually two steps behind and flat on my ass."

"I'll try again, then." Shikamaru paused, a ghost of a smile on his face. "What were you thinking about?"

"Your classroom." Kiba said with a toothy smile.

Shikamaru laughed. "Really, now? _What a drag_."

He pouted. "What's wrong with your classroom?"

Surprisingly, the Nara man sat up and straddled Kiba then looked down at him. "Nothing, it's just…_so_ predictable! And if Kakashi-san hears of it, I'll _never_ hear the end of it. I'm sick to death of the rabid squirrel jokes."

Kiba quirked an eyebrow. "Rabid squirrel jokes?"

Shika sighed and gestured to the bites on his neck. "That's what he calls _these_."

The Inuzuka man chuckled.

"It's not funny!" Shikamaru grunted and ran a hand through his messy hair. "_Troublesome_."

Suddenly Kiba's bedroom door opened and Hana Inuzuka's head poked in. Shikamaru scrambled to pull the blankets up as he realized he was naked, straddling Kiba's equally naked form.

"Kiba-_kun!_ Shikamaru-kun…Good morning!" Hana drawled lazily, looking around his room. "How was the party last night?"

When she didn't go away, and continued to stare, Kiba growled angrily at her. "Can I _help_ you, Hana!"

"Breakfast is ready, dearest brother." Hana smirked.

"Thank-you, Hana!" He shouted and reached down and tossed the first thing he could find at her. It was his pillow. Oh, _shit_. No, no, no! But the pillow was already out of his hand and flying through the air.

When the pillow hit her face – she made a sour face as Kiba was pretty sure she could smell what was on it. She was Inuzuka and the pillow was covered with Shikamaru's come from last night.

"Dearest brother, I see you want to play pranks today!" Hana grinned enthusiastically. "See you at breakfast!"

Kiba feared the sadistic glint in her eyes. Shit-!

"_No_, Hana!" He was saying when she closed the door. Kiba laid his head down on his bed and groaned. Damn his sister, and _all_ sisters everywhere!

"Pranks?" Shikamaru said curiously, looking at him.

"Let's get dressed quick." Kiba said, sliding out of bed walking over to his dresser. "Did you want to borrow some clothing?"

In a few minutes, he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, desire slamming into him as he loved the look of Shikamaru wearing his pants and his t-shirt. Both of them were too big on him and he wanted to rip them both off and fuck him right there as they walked down the hall way, no, forget that, he wanted to take him back to bed right now. But he didn't. Kiba kept walking behind him watching the way his pert ass moved in his pants. Somehow he had found something to tie his hair back into a loose pony tail.

They walked into the Inuzuka kitchen; there was a large table with two benches on either side of it. His mom was standing at the stove cooking. Hana was setting the table for the four of them, smirking like she didn't have anything planned – Kiba narrowed his eyes at her. He turned to glance sideways at Shikamaru. He was blushing. Kami, he looked fucking hot when he blushed.

"Good morning, Kiba." Tsume Inuzuka said with a bright smile. "Nice to see you, _Shikamaru_. You are always welcome, of course."

Both Kiba and Shikamaru blushed.

Kiba knew his Mother knew why Shikamaru was there…what they had done. It was…embarrassing! He took a seat and Shika sat down next to him calmly. He took a deep breath. Okay, he could do this. It couldn't be that embarrassing. So what? He'd never had anyone spend the night before except for sleepovers when he was a kid. This wasn't that different, right? Just keep telling yourself that, Kiba, he mentally prepared himself.

Then his mom was dishing out plates of tamagoyaki, bowls of stir fried veggies, steamed rice and they were all eating happily. After a few minutes of eating Hana turned towards him.

"Did you sleep well, Kiba?" Hana waggled her eyebrows.

Kiba choked on the snow pea in his mouth. _Seriously_! His mother had to come up behind him and pound on his back vigorously. Hana just sat across from him giving him her little smirk.

"Hana, don't tease your brother." His mother ordered after she sat down again. "Go catalogue the immunizations in the kennel, please. I want to talk to Kiba."

"But _Mom_…!" Hana sulked. "I didn't finish my breakfast…"

Tsume pointed her finger towards the door and Hana stood but she gave Kiba one last snort. Once alone, she turned on the young men.

"I assume Iruka-sensei spoke with you both?" She said lightly.

Kiba glanced at Shikamaru, he'd forgotten about that actually. But the Nara man was nodding.

"I read the book as well. It was very informative." Shikamaru stated as he set his chopsticks down. "Iruka suggested that I should."

His mom was nodding, looking surprisingly pleased.

"What book?" Kiba looked confused between them.

"What do you think _Yoshino_ is going to say?" His Mother said, tapping her nails on the table. She looked perceptively at his friend.

Shikamaru sighed and gripped the table painfully. "Probably that I'm a failure to her and the family. Again."

Kiba frowned and looked in confusion at Shikamaru. A failure? How was he a failure? He was the smartest person in the whole village. He was a teacher but he also planned the village's defense and battle strategies. He was successful and handsome and _brilliant_. How could Shikamaru's Mother possibly think of him as failure? He scratched his head and put an arm around him before he could stop himself.

"I think you're pretty damn perfect, Shika." Kiba said pulling him a little closer on the bench, forgetting that his Mother was sitting across from him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Shikamaru knew he should go home after he left Kiba's but…it was still early and he was too nervous to face his parent's. So he found his feet tracing the cobblestone path to Iruka's place. He knocked on the door and after a few moments a flushed Iruka answered the door. His shirt was on backwards, and his ponytail was crooked but he smiled happily at him.

Shikamaru pretended not to notice either of these things. At least Kakashi-san did not appear to be at home. Maybe he had interrupted Iruka from a nap.

"Good afternoon, Shikamaru." Iruka said, scratched at his scar. "I assume you want a rule?"

"_Yeah, yeah_." He said. "Can I come in?"

Iruka fidgeted in the doorway and peered back over his shoulder. He rubbed the back of his head. "Uhhh, sure."

Shikamaru glanced at his ex-sensei curiously and walked into the apartment. He kicked off his sandals courteously.

"How was the party last night?" Iruka asked politely.

"_Great_…" Shikamaru said unable to hide the smile that crept up on his face.

"Great, ne?" Iruka elbowed him in the side as he walked past. The elder man snickered. "I take it Kiba liked your costume…?"

"Tch." Shikamaru handed the sack he had been carrying over to Iruka. It was the leather pants. Iruka took the bag and peered into it. He nodded when he spied the contents. "Thank you for letting me borrow them."

"Anytime, Shikamaru." Iruka smiled and leaned sat on an arm of the couch. "Today's rule…**The 8th Rule is: Present a Challenge**."

"A challenge?" The Nara man grunted. "Are you seriously telling me to play hard to get?"

"Not exactly. I'm just saying that that one shouldn't mistake initial interest as a signal to latch onto a person right away. Three dates does not a relationship make. Don't press a guy to talk about his feelings. Do make it clear that while he's a welcome addition to your life, he's not the whole enchilada." Iruka paused. "Of course, this is all subject for change once you've been dating for a while and the relationship becomes more serious."

Shikamaru nodded.

Just then, Kakashi opened the bedroom door and leaned against the doorjamb. He was henged as a teenager …wearing his mask and a school uniform-!

"Oh…_Sensei_…!" Kakashi-san said wickedly. "_I've been so naughty! I think I deserve detention…"_

Shikamaru looked horrified from Iruka who was blushing furiously but mostly looking lustily at Kakashi-san.

"Oh, you know I'm right _here_, right?" He groaned and marched over to the door to put on his sandals and walked to the door. The two teachers weren't even paying attention to him anymore. They were _both_ so perverted-! "_What a drag!_"

He left their apartment and took a deep breath of fresh air. It was still early evening. Not even sunset. His parents would still be awake. At home. They had to have heard by now. Gossip this good would _had_ to have traveled to his Mother's ears. She had to know. His limbs feeling leaden, he felt his body carrying him home almost without realizing it. He walked through the front doors into the foyer and into the living room. Both of his parents were sitting on the couch. His mother's eyes looked red.

Shikamaru hovered in the entryway to the living room; his eye's skittered away from her face, focusing instead on the mountain scene painted on the fusuma behind his parents. Yes, Shikamaru, just focus on _that_.

"I heard an interesting _rumor_ today, Shikamaru." His Mother said in a strained voice.

She was looking at him, but he didn't flinch.

"The ladies at the hair salon couldn't wait to tell me all about it…" She continued. "Apparently you said and did some very disgusting things at some _chuunin_ party last night."

Shikamaru took a deep breath and looked at his Father. His eyes were warm, surprisingly encouraging. He felt tears wanting to prickle at him, but he didn't surrender to them. He took another shuddering breath and forced himself to look at his Mother.

"Mother, yes, I did." Shikamaru's right hand balled into a fist unconsciously.

His mother was crying and she buried her face in his Father's chest. His dad looked at him and sighed. This wasn't going to be resolved tonight.

"I'm sorry I'm such a failure to you at every turn." Shikamaru said bitterly. "But…I really _like_ Kiba. And…it's _not_ disgusting."

He left the living room and went upstairs. From his bed he could lay and see the last of the clouds tinged pink as the sun set for the night.


	8. Rule 8: Don't be A Babbling Brook

_Rules of Matchmaking #8 – Don't Be a Babbling Brook_

Shikamaru transported into work, a second before the bell rang. He glanced up at the clock. _Whew!_ That was close. He yelled at the students to begin reading a review chapter quietly to themselves. Then he slumped in his chair and started to quickly put together a lesson plan as well as a lecture for later in the day. What a drag!

_Monday's!_

The day wore on like all Monday's do, in moments of perpetual boredom, mind-numbing banalities and tedium. Finally the ankle-biters were leaving for the day and he was alone in the classroom, and he was seriously contemplating a career change. His pony tail was askew; there was chalk on his face, gum on his flak jacket and an expression of extreme distaste on his face when Iruka-sensei wandered blithely into his classroom whistling, of all things. Whistling. As if he had just had a lovely Monday! Maybe Iruka had a sadistic streak in him. He did like Kakashi-san after all. _Whistling!_

"Ohayo, Shikamaru!" Iruka said with a bright smile as he walked into his room.

Shikamaru couldn't muster up more than a discontented grunt.

Iruka laughed and patted him on the back consolingly. "Monday's, ne?"

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru sighed.

"Did you remember you're supposed to come over this afternoon to spar with Kakashi?" Iruka leaned against his desk and quirked an eyebrow.

Shikamaru dropped his head into his hands and groaned. "Was that _today_?"

Iruka laughed again. "Well, why don't you ask Kiba to come over with you? He can always spar with Kakashi on your behalf and you can relax on the couch playing shogi with me."

He considered this. "Hey, that's a good idea."

The older teacher smirked and scratched at the scar on his nose. "Well, I occasionally have my moments."

Shikamaru snorted.

"Tch." Iruka laughed again. "Shouldn't you respect your elders?"

"_Yeah, yeah_." He flapped his hand in his ex-teacher's direction then reached down to try and pry the now-hardened gum off his flak jacket. Children can be so disgusting sometimes. Gum, really? He hated gum. The stuff was disgusting. He was going to make them write an extra long essay tomorrow, he thought savagely. _A really boring one._

Iruka came over and preformed a simple jutsu that magically took it right off. He winked at him and said, "Trick of the pre-genin trade."

Shikamaru felt his mood beginning to lift. _Slightly_. "You are going to share, right?"

"Of course." Iruka-sensei smiled again. "And you do want to know yesterday and today's rules, right?"

"Yes, of course." Shikamaru nodded.

"Let's see…where were we…**The 9****th**** Rule is: Don't Be a Babbling Brook**." Iruka smiled. "This simply means that I'm sure you've got a host of very interesting stories Shikamaru but save some for the second or third date. Men occasionally want to get a word in edgewise. So don't go overboard talking about yourself."

The Nara man nodded. "Well, that's not a huge problem for me. I'm a fairly private person actually."

Iruka leaned against the edge of his desk. "True, but again these are good rules to go by. And a reminder never hurts. Okay and today's rule: **The 10****th**** Rule is: Sunny Side Up**."

"What?" Shikamaru scratched the back of his head.

His ex-sensei grinned. "Smile! Men don't want to date other men who are cold and boring. They like partners who are smiling and happy. Not grinning like a loon, of course, but, you know…_**project warmth**_. That's it. Simple, ne?"

"'Sunny side up', eh?" He snorted. "Who came up with the title of that rule?" Shikamaru asked as he stood up and stretched. Man, he was tired. He hated Monday's!

Iruka laughed again. "Well, honestly that was Kakashi's input."

"Figures." Shikamaru grunted. "What time did you want us to come over, assuming I can get Kiba to agree to spar with Kakashi-san?"

"How about four-thirty?" Iruka suggested as he started to form the seals to transport home. "And Shikamaru-kun…you also have a sign on your back. I believe it says _'I Like Deer Too Much'_…you might want to remove that…"

As his mentor transported away with laughter on his lips, Shikamaru growled in frustration and ripped the sign off his back. _Damn ankle-biters!_ Why had he wanted this job in the first place? Damn Monday's! He stalked down the hallway to the teacher's lounge to call Inuzuka compound to see if he could get a hold of Kiba. Hopefully he was not away on a mission with Team 8.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

He stood at the corner waiting for his friend. He wasn't going to call him his date for the night. That just felt…_presumptuous_…? Certainly not his _boyfriend_. Was he? He nibbled on his lower lip. They hadn't even begun to discuss _that_. Besides it had just been the twice. However…_Kiba_, Shikamaru thought to himself, was the most un-troublesome thing in his life right now. He felt the mild spring air whip around the street and tease through end of his pony tail. He looked up at the sky at the clouds and smiled faintly, then back down the street, shuffling his hands into his pockets and then leaned against the wall. Then he spotted Kiba further down the street loping towards him in his manner. It was rather odd to see him with Akamaru.

Shikamaru wondered idly if he missed the dog; he certainly must – although during this process he supposed it was just something he had to deal with. The dog-nin smiled crookedly at him a few yards away and ran over to where Shika stood, and his heart did a little flip-flop in his chest. How does he do that? Make it look so easy? He ducked his head a little, trying not to blush, afraid that he was. He had called the man from the Academy teacher's lounge and invited him over to Iruka and Kakashi's place. Kiba had seemed _excited_ to spar with Kakashi-san, actually seemed happy that he'd called and invited him out.

"Hey." Shikamaru said, ducking his head slightly.

Kiba put his arm around him, leaned down and bit his ear. _Right in public!_ In clear view of everyone and everything! He couldn't help the appreciative shiver that ran down his spine. He sputtered and glanced around nervously, his palms breaking out in a cold sweat. Of course, there actually wasn't really _anyone_ on the street unless you counted that old lady down the way sweeping in front of her storefront. But…still. He took a deep breath and shoved at the Inuzuka male a little.

"C'mon, Shika, we're already late you lazy bastard." Kiba said with a laugh.

Then Kiba was tugging him towards Iruka and Kakashi-san's apartment as if he _hadn't_ just bit his ear in the middle of the street in front of Konoha and Kami and that little old lady down the street. She might be a hidden ninja, you never knew. Shikamaru glared at her they walked across the street, just in case. He hadn't let go of his hand. The man was holding his hand! He blinked. Was this a good thing? He felt a little childlike, walking across the street, holding hands. He tried to tug his hand away, but Kiba gripped it tighter.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru said with a frown

"What kind of sparring does Kakashi-san want to do?" The dog-nin asked, looking over at him.

"I don't know." He frowned harder. "I had a very long day at work and I just knew I didn't want to do any sort of sparring but I had promised. So I thought you might want to do it for me…" His voice trailed off as he realized how that sounded. They were now standing in front of Iruka-sensei's apartment.

Kiba was grinning and starring at him. He had the most idiotic grin on his face. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at him.

"What?" Shikamaru snapped, pulling his hand finally free of the other man's and shoving them into his pockets. He struck his typical lackadaisical pose. But there was a tension in his shoulders, along the furrowed brow, the tightness of his lips. His _scent_.

"If I do this for you…" Kiba licked his lips and leaned forward, his nose twitching. "What sort of…_primal_ things will you do for me in recompense?"

Shikamaru looked at the man in surprise then scoffed for a moment. "I'm surprised you know what the word 'recompense' means, Kiba."

Kiba's face fell, but his canines protruded slightly through his lips when he pouted. It was very cute. Shika wondered idly if he did it on purpose.

"Are you calling me stupid, Shika?" Kiba asked with a mock-hurt voice.

Question answered. Yes, the man was doing it on purpose because he was grinning now, his tongue flicking over his canines. Damnit! Now Shikamaru couldn't stop staring at his teeth. And the word was in his head. _Primal_.

"No, just that you don't have the biggest…_vocabulary_." Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow.

"Actually Shino bought me one of those 'word-of-the-day' Calendar's for Christmas last year. I thought it was pretty lame gift at the time…but if it's going to get you in my pants then I'm going to have to thank him." Kiba tried to leer but only succeed in looking goofy and slightly lecherous. Shikamaru had the distinct impression that he was trying to look like Kakashi-san and it wasn't sexy – but it was definitely…_amusing_.

Shikamaru snorted. "Yeah, yeah."

Just then, Iruka-sensei opened the door to the apartment with his hands on his hips. "Were you two ever going to knock?"

"Well, _Uhhh_…" Kiba blushed. "Hey, Iruka-sensei…!"

"_Ohayou gozaimasu!"_ Iruka then laughed and waved them in, opening the apartment door and waving them in.

Kiba and Shikamaru walked into their apartment and looked around. Shikamaru toed his sandals off in the entry way but Kiba remained in his since he was supposed to go sparring. Kakashi-san was slouched on the couch with his feet up on the kotatsu.

"Ready to go sparring, squirrel boy?" Kakashi asked with a large grin, his one eye curving up happily.

The Inuzuka looked confused. He had apparently forgotten the rabid squirrel jokes that Shikamaru had told him about.

"_Bothersome_." Shikamaru sighed and then pursed his lips.

"Kakashi, go play ninja with Kiba." Iruka walked past the copy-nin to ruffle his silver hair affectionately. The teacher headed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "We're going to play shogi."

After a few moments, Shika found himself alone in the apartment finally with Iruka-sensei.

"Are we really going to play shogi?" Shikamaru asked after a few seconds of silence.

Iruka laughed. "Maybe. If you want." The man was setting water to boil on the stove. "Do you like tea?"

"Yes." He answered.

"Would you like some?"

"Sure." Shikamaru nodded.

"Good, I'll make you a cup of my favorite." Iruka bustled around the kitchen. "This is my favorite time of day, ne?"

He laughed. "When Kakashi-san is gone?"

Iruka's mouth quirked into a small private smile. "The calm before the storm…!" Iruka poured the hot water into the two mugs of tea leaves. Both mugs were both dolphin themed, yet different from each other. Even the pot holder he was holding the tea kettle by was dolphin-themed. "And when we have days like today, you have to find your own way of winding down and letting steam off."

Shikamaru nodded. This was another lesson.

"I like tea and reading. Kakashi likes taking baths and reading his _Icha Icha_. Gai has his _Challenges_. Anko is addicted to _crocheting _which she would probably scalp you if she knew I told you about. So don't tell anyone I just told you that. I'm sure you can gather where I'm going with this. Everyone has to have these things. You like to look at the clouds. Is that _enough_ for you?"

Iruka handed him the mug of tea and they sat at his dining room set. The wooden chairs had plush cushions on the seat. He leaned back and sipped.

"Good tea." He nodded. "Kinda bitter, though. Do you have some sugar?"

The older man got up and retrieved a small sugar bowl from the kitchen and brought it over. It was dolphin themed.

"It's tamaryokucha tea." Iruka said.

Shikamaru nodded. "I like it." He added too spoonfuls of sugar and stirred them in, then took another sip. "Now I like it even better."

"What can you tell me about its flavor?" His ex-sensei inquired.

"It has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus."

"You read that off the package." Iruka rolled his eyes.

"I did." Shikamaru looked around the apartment. "What are we going to do now?"

"Well, I'm going to start making dinner. You can help, watch TV, or read a book – whatever you want. I know you had a long day." Iruka finished his tea, closed his eyes and took a long deep breath then set his cup down. Iruka stood and took his mug into the kitchen and started pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator and lining them up on the counter. Eggs, flour, panko, miso paste, vegetable broth, dashi, tofu, wakame and scallions - the man kept pulling ingredients out - !

"My parents found out." Shikamaru said, taking another sip of tea. He watched his former teacher start dinner. "You know…_about me_."

The older teacher was holding a head of Napa cabbage in his hands and turned to look at him. "Oh? Because of what happened at Daisuke's party?"

He nodded and looked down at the mug of tea despondently. "I guess everyone heard about that."

Iruka shrugged. "Oh, gossip moves pretty quick in a shinobi village. You would be surprised. People are already talking about the next _shocking_ thing, Shikamaru."

"Really?" He looked up in surprise.

"Yes." Iruka set a head of cabbage down and was filling up his rice maker and setting it up to start.

"So what is more exciting than my sex life?" Shikamaru couldn't help himself.

"Kakashi and I…_may_ have made out in the Hokage's tower. And Kotetsu with some ANBU found us." Iruka turned and grinned impishly at his former student.

Shikamaru laughed. "How is that more exciting than my sex life?"

"We _were_ in the Hokage's office. You know…on her _desk_." Iruka smirked. "Drinking her _sake_."

"You guys are terrible!" Shikamaru's eyes bugged out a little.

"And I may have been…wearing her _hat_." Iruka chuckled.

"_So_ terrible!" Shikamaru joined him in laughter. He felt the stress of the day falling off his shoulders the more he laughed. It was very good to have first-class friends. "_Thank-you_."

"What? I didn't do you any favors." Iruka waggled his eyebrows. "Kakashi has been driving me crazy to try that for ages." Iruka shrugged. "You should've _seen_ their faces!"

They laughed again.

"Did you get in trouble?"

"It's the _copy-nin_!" Iruka laughed. "What can they do to him? It's kind of the beauty of the situation. They need him. He can do these…perverted things and then just look all lovable and confused and people think he's a social retard. It's an act, I tell you!" Iruka got a mallet out and started pounding pork cutlets.

"What are you making?" Shikamaru asked.

"Oh, _tonkatsu_." Iruka said. "Kakashi likes it and its good leftovers for lunch."

Shikamaru nodded. "Did you need any help? I know I'm a lazy baka most of the time, but I do know my way around the kitchen. Cooking is pretty relaxing if you think about it."

Iruka studied him for a moment then nodded. "Sure, why don't you shred the cabbage while I get started on the miso soup?"

Shikamaru stood and ambled into the kitchen.

When Kiba and Kakashi arrived later that evening, dinner was ready, and Iruka and Shikamaru were sitting in the kitchen on their second cup of tea laughing uproariously over some in-joke. The two arrivals entered through the window, sweaty and streaked with dirt. There was a leaf in Kiba's hair and a few small gashes in his jacket.

"What's so funny?" Kiba asked toeing his sandals off politely. He sniffed the air. "Smells _good_ in here, Iruka-sensei!"

"Thank-you, Kiba-kun." Iruka smiled and then pointed them towards the bathroom. "Shikamaru and I made dinner and it is all ready. Why don't you two clean up and join us?"

Kiba and Kakashi came back from the bathroom after a few minutes. Kakashi was wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt with his mask. Kiba looked the same, except cleaner – _minus_ the leaf in his hair. And he had taken off his jacket, which was lying across the back of the couch. The dog-nin was now just wearing chuunin pants and a long-sleeve blue shirt. They took seats around the table and looked at the food greedily. Iruka brought a large platter of tonkatsu and set it in the middle of the table along with a bowl of shredded cabbage and rice. Shikamaru brought bowls of miso soup over for everyone as well as porcelain soup spoons.

"Itadakimasu!" Iruka said cheerfully.

Then they were all digging into dinner.

"Oh! This is so good!" Kiba said as he ate the crispy deep-fried pork cutlet with obvious satisfaction.

Kakashi-san was doing that thing he always did, eating very fast behind his bit of genjutsu so that no one could see his face. Or whatever he did. But even with that, you could see he was enjoying the soup, since his bowl was empty and his plate was half gone.

"You're going to give yourself a stomach-ache Kakashi-san." Shikamaru said pointing at the man with a chopstick. "It's not healthy to eat so fast. _Bad for your digestion_."

Iruka snorted.

"Maa…" Kakashi-san smiled under his mask. "I am pretty used to it by now."

Before his very eyes, the rest of the food on Kakashi-san's plate was just suddenly gone, and the man was smiling at him brightly. _Ridiculous jounin!_

"Neat trick, Kakashi-san!" Kiba said as he picked up a piece of pork with his chopsticks and ate it savagely.

"How was your sparring session?" Iruka asked idly as he sipped on the soup.

"It was a _blast!_" The dog-nin interjected and then began a vivid recounting of the whole session, no doubt embellishing it and adding to it.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Shikamaru walked home as slowly as possible, enjoying the feel of Kiba's hand in his. Okay, maybe holding hands could be a good thing. He could get used to this. The night had gone very nicely after all. Maybe Monday's _weren't_ so bad after all.

Kiba started to walk him up to the front door of the Nara house, but instead Shikamaru pulled him over to the side, where his bedroom window was.

"No." He shook his head and rubbed the back of his head, rather self-conscious. "I have to climb into my bedroom window."

The Inuzuka looked at him oddly. "Why, Shika?"

Shikamaru sighed and let out a long breath. "_Troublesome_."

He was surprised when he felt strong, warm surround him and he was enveloped in a big hug. He resisted for a moment, and then relented, softening into the embrace and put his hands on Kiba's lean hips. Shikamaru nestled his nose into the other man's neck and sighed softly.

"My parents…don't really approve of my life-style choices I suppose." He paused. "My Mother hates me because I'm 'just a chuunin'. She hates my _job_ and my…_lack of ambition_, as she sees it. She sees me as a _failure_. I will never be able to provide the 'heir' for the _Nara family_ - I will _always_ be a failure to her. Every time I see her…she criticizes me endlessly, she looks at me with - shame and disgust. I…so I have just been avoiding her and I just climb in to my bedroom window…"

Shikamaru pulled his face away, blinking, afraid he had given too much away, damnit, he had totally just broken like…_three_ of Iruka's damn rules. Damnit-! _What was he thinking?_

Kiba pulled away out of the embrace slightly so he could look at him in the face. The man was frowning fiercely, his facial tattoos standing out brightly on his cheeks. His eyes blazed brightly for a moment then he marched over to the front door, tugging Shikamaru along with him, still holding hands.

"_Wait-!"_ Shikamaru heard himself yelp in surprise.

But Kiba was already at the Nara house's large front door, pushing the doorbell repeatedly. Then he was knocking loudly on the large front door. Shikamaru looked anxiously at the dog-nin who was knocking on the big door.

The Nara's front door porch light was suddenly turned on and then the big front door opened. Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino both stood in the entryway staring at them wearing pajamas with nice comfortable yukata's and slippers. Shikamaru knew they had been watching television in the living room – he could see the flickering light of it bouncing off the walls in the entryway.

"Shikamaru, son…can we help you?" Shikaku asked calmly.

Shikamaru didn't think he could love his Father more in that moment for acting _calm_ and _normal_. Especially since his Mother was standing there looking like she had just ate a very sour lemon.

"Mother, Father-" He began. How was he going to explain this…especially since he didn't know what possessed Kiba to just run over and start knocking on the door?

"I'm very sorry, Sir, _Ma'am_." Kiba interrupted and thrusting his way forward brashly into the entryway. "My name is Inuzuka Kiba. I will one day be the leader of the Inuzuka clan. I have claimed Shikamaru as my mate and you have no right to look down on him…for of your small minded prejudiced reasons. I have just become aware that he has been climbing in his bedroom window at night because he has been made to feel less that worthy of your love and affection. I think that is a terrible thing for parents to do to their _only_ child." Kiba paused in his tirade as he was looking at Shikamaru's mother the entire time.

"Shikamaru is the smartest man in the village. He is handsome and funny and _mine_. I don't want to hear about you treating him like this anymore." Kiba's voice was low and rough – almost a growl at this point.

His Father looked vaguely amused by it but his Mother's eyebrows had shot up so far they looked to have disappeared up into her hairline and she was blushing so red she looked like a tomato. To be honest, Shikamaru was blushing himself. The whole thing was rather embarrassing and…well, troublesome. Then he thought back on it and he realized this might be part of that _Inuzuka Clan Mating Rites_ thing. Hmmm…Kiba might be showing increased signs of territorial marking and dominance in this situation. He nodded internally. He really shouldn't be too surprised, really.

Shikamaru smiled slightly up at Kiba and the dog-nin turned to him and actually leaned down and gave him a peck on the cheek – right there in front of his parents!

He was so shocked he couldn't move or speak. He blinked at the man stupidly for a moment, thinking to himself, I really hope I'm never on guard duty with Kiba because it would really be a drag to have to think about tactics when I'd rather think about the texture of his lips and how it makes him tingle-

Wait- was his Father saying something?

"Why don't you invite your Mother and Sister over for dinner tomorrow night, Inuzuka Kiba?" Shikaku was asking Kiba with a slight smile on his face. "We would like to meet your family, ne?" His Father reached over and grabbed Yoshino's hand and squeezed her hand and she dipped her head, then she actually nodded slightly, eyes downcast. At least the sour lemon look was gone.

"Okay, sounds good. I'll ask her and make sure neither of them have missions or anything going on at the compound." Kiba said.

"Where's Akamaru?" His father asked.

"Oh," Kiba looked uncomfortable for a moment. "He's ahh…_ill_."

"Sorry to hear that." Shikaku said sincerely.

"Thank-you. Well, I'll see you tomorrow night…around six-thirty?" Kiba waved at his parents and then turned to Shikamaru and kissed him again on the cheek. "Until tomorrow, Shika!" Then he made a few seals and transported home.

Shikamaru turned towards his parents who were both looking back at him in equal parts surprise and curiosity. He sighed. "_Troublesome_."

_A/N: Please Review ^_^ _


	9. Rule 9: Look Beyond His Looks

_Rules of Matchmaking #9 – Look Beyond His Looks_

Kiba groaned between breaths. Shikamaru was a truly gifted kisser. The genius was straddling him on his bed this afternoon and Kiba squirmed when a wet, hot intruder slipped into his mouth. He reached out his hands and clung onto Shikamaru. He sucked on Shikamaru's tongue and let out a moan. Shika flicked his tongue in Kiba's mouth, exploring every inch of it lazily, taking his time with each stroke. It was driving the Dog-nin wild. He reached up and squeezed the other man's ass, not breaking the connection, but rocking their bodies together roughly. They kissed, sucked, nipped, and only stopped to breathe occasionally. They were both panting hard and enjoying each other's company.

Waves of pleasure washed over them, and it was only a matter of time until they drown in it. They parted, both panting hard. Shikamaru was still trying to recollect himself, but Kiba already went in for more. With a growl, he shifted his still unfortunately clothed hips, grinding against the man again. Shikamaru moaned against in his mouth. His legs tightened even more around him, and Kiba reached up and ripped the hair tie out of the Nara's pony tail, griping his hands into the man's hair.

Shikamaru reached down and undid his chuunin pants rapidly, hand on his boxers. Kiba tugged on the man's hair even tighter. He sat up and bit his neck, sucking it slightly. He had to mark this man. _Primal!_

Then the door to his bedroom opened and Hinata and Shino walked in. Hinata took one look at them and started blushing terribly. She was looking everywhere but at them. Her face looked like a tomato.

"_Ahh_…" She seemed to be saying but at the same time backing out of the room. She ran into Shino's chest because he was right behind her; he was effectively blocking her exit.

"We can come back later…" Shino was saying.

"No, it's okay." Kiba was trying to focus.

Shino paused, looked at the two of them and nodded. "Kiba, your shirt is on backwards. Hey, Shikamaru."

"Shirt?" Kiba looked down at his shirt and realized that in his haste this afternoon he had put his shirt on backwards. He had been asleep when Shikamaru had come over and he had hastily thrown the first thing on. He stared down at in surprise, as if he couldn't remember putting it on backwards, or even what it was. Shikamaru looked pleased with himself; he was looking at Kiba with a smug little half-smile on his face. He seemed to be very aware that he melted the brain synapses of the Inuzuka with his make-out abilities.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head and was valiantly trying to zip his pants back up as casually as possible. "Tch."

"So, are you guys dating now?" Shino asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Yeah." Kiba said, pulling Shikamaru closer, which threw off the Nara man's ability to zip his pants up. Of course, that was what he was trying to do. The genius shot him a dirty look. Kiba shrugged innocently, but inwardly chuckled. He had learned from the best, you know. His sister, _Hana_ was quite the wicked prankster. And it was quite fun to tease Shika.

Shino nodded.

"Oh, congratulations!" Hinata said quietly from where she was standing behind Shino. "I had heard the rumors, but…" Then she blushed furiously again and stopped talking.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru said, trying to stand.

"That party was the best thing that ever happened!" Kiba exclaimed. "That's where we finally told each other about our feelings!" Then he put his arm around Shika and nuzzled the man playfully.

Shika narrowed his eyes for a moment then shoved the Inuzuka off the bed. "Don't be an idiot!"

Kiba lay on the floor for a moment and then burst out laughing. He was worried for a moment that Shikamaru was going to get mad at him for being silly, but he was glad that he had just stood up to him. He crawled back onto the bed and spied Shika zipping his pants back on and tucking his shirt back in, as well as putting his hair back into his tidy pony tail. Kiba shrugged.

"So what are you guys doing here?" Kiba asked Shino with curiosity.

"Oh, we came to go over yesterday's mission." Hinata answered. "But we can come back since you're obviously….Ahh…_busy_!" She finished lamely, blushing again and turning to hide behind Shino again.

"No, it's fine." Shikamaru cleared his throat and looked at the alarm clock on Kiba's nightstand. "You guys can meet and talk about your mission. I have to get back to class anyways. My lunch break is just about over."

"Okay." Kiba said with a smile. "I'll see you tonight, Shika. 6:30pm; and don't be nervous! Everything is going to be great."

Shikamaru smiled briefly and then looked around the room for a second and then leaned over the bed, flushing slightly to pick up his discarded flak jacket. Kiba had to sit up a little to let Shikamaru get to it, since he was half lying on it. Kiba smirked but lifted his leg slowly to allow the man to snatch it.

"Tch. _Bothersome_." Shikamaru began putting his jacket on so he could go and get back to work.

Shino watched with amusement. Hinata blushed again.

Kiba grabbed Shikamaru's hand before the man could transport away and pulled him down to kiss his cheek quickly. Surprisingly, he let him. And then he pushed him away with a small huff and made the seals to go to the Academy, shaking his head, his pale features tinged with pink. _"Yeah, yeah."_

Kiba sat back down on the bed and smiled happily at Shino and Hinata who moved to come into the room more completely now that Shikamaru had left.

"Happy?" Hinata asked with a smile.

"Yes." Kiba smiled again, leaning back on his bed, his canines poking out against his lower lip.

"Lots of rumors about you two, I'm just glad to see that you're happy." Hinata nodded as she sat on the end of his bed.

"What sort of rumors?" Kiba frowned.

"Well they've quieted down now, everyone's talking about what happened in the Hokage's office the other day, but you know, and shinobi's have a long memory…" Hinata elaborated.

"What happened in the Hokage's office?" Kiba scratched his head.

Shino laughed. "You don't want to know. Kakashi-san is a pervert!"

Kiba looked over at his friend and chuckled. If the rumor had anything to do with Kakashi-san and the Hokage's office, he was pretty sure the rumor was funny _and_ raunchy. And probably true. He could always ask Iruka-sensei later. Which kind of grossed him out to think about. Maybe he didn't want to know for sure. Kiba shuddered. No, maybe he didn't want to know. He really didn't want to think about his ex-sensei having sex.

"Oh, and thank-you for your Christmas gift. That word-of-the-day Calendar has come in very handy, Shino. My super awesome vocabulary is apparently quite a turn on."

Shino raised his eyebrows. "You're welcome. You may want refrain from calling it 'super awesome vocabulary' though. Why not try splendiferous?"

"I don't know, Shino. I might be doing a guy, but I don't want to sound _too_ fruity." Kiba sounded skeptical.

Hinata giggled.

"How are you, otherwise?" Shino asked.

"Well, we're definitely happy. The only problem is his parents. They don't approve." Kiba sighed glumly and rested his head in his hands.

Shino leaned against the dresser and frowned. "They don't think you're good enough for your son?"

"That's ridiculous, Kiba!" Hinata argued.

"No, no…" The Inuzuka scratched his head. "It's more complicated than that. His mom…she looks down on his job. She looks down on him for only being a chuunin. She has apparently been pushing him to produce an heir. And she _really_ doesn't approve of him being gay."

"_Oh_." Hinata said. "That's terrible! Poor Shikamaru!"

"That is a very difficult situation for him." Shino agreed.

"Tell me about it." Kiba groaned. "Our whole family is meeting tonight. Like my side and his side. It should be..._interesting_."

Hinata giggled, a hand covering her mouth. "You mean…Tsume Inuzuka and Yoshino Nara in the same room? At the same dinner table? I would like to be a fly on _that_ wall."

"I believe you have a sadistic streak in you, Hinata-chan." Shino stated as he adjusted his glasses and peered at her. "I like it."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Shikamaru was surprised at how quickly the rest of the afternoon flew by. It was probably because he was very nervous the dinner later that night. He barely remembered the lecture he gave on chakra manipulation; thankfully he knew them by rote and before he realized it he had dismissed the students and was standing in an empty classroom, blinking rather stupidly at the chalkboard.

"You seem distracted, Shikamaru." Iruka-sensei said quietly from the doorway.

He turned his head and blinked owlishly at his ex-teacher. He nodded. "I am."

Iruka walked into the room and smiled kindly. "I'm always here for you if you need to talk."

Shikamaru nodded. "What are today's rules?"

The older man nodded. "Let's see…**The 11****th**** Rule is to Look Beyond his Looks**." Iruka paused and blushed slightly. "I know that's hard when you're dating an attractive man, but try to look past their fair face and well-shaped physique. But also think of how good are they at relationships? How does he treat his Mother? How does he get along with siblings and friends? If the answer to this question is - not well, then you should take heed. Because once confident in your affections, he will treat you the same way he treats them. Patterns are important."

"We are going to ignore Kakashi-san's complete and total lack of friends and-" Shikamaru began.

Iruka blushed and then swatted at Shika. "We're not talking about me, we're talking about you!" Iruka laughed again. "I've already got a man!"

Shikamaru leaned against his desk and set the eraser that he had been holding down. "I've got dinner with both the Nara's and the Inuzuka's tonight_. At the same dinner table_."

His ex-sensei's eyes bugged out a little. "Kami-sama!"

"_Troublesome_."

"Can we come watch?" Iruka asked, rubbing his hands together. "I'll bring a casserole. And good sake."

"You need a hobby, Iruka-sensei." Shikamaru glared.

"Please?" Iruka begged. "I have to see this."

"Well…"

"An outside party should be there to mediate, actually." Iruka wheedled. "And Kakashi will be on his best behavior."

"You can't promise that!" Shikamaru glared again.

"No, I can't, but I can withhold things." Iruka looked smug. "It keeps him in line."

"Gah-! _I didn't want to know that_." The Nara muttered under his breath.

"So, can we come?"

"_Yeah, yeah_. It's at 6:30pm. And you should bring a casserole." Shikamaru relented. "And _definitely_ bring the sake."

Iruka transported away excitedly, talking about some recipe he wanted to try. But Shikamaru turned back to his desk, gathering up his scrolls in his messenger bag that he had to grade and sort for the next day. It may be a Tuesday, but he still had a lot of work to do. He tucked a spare kunai in to his bag and walked into the hall, closing his classroom for the day. He sighed and decided to walk home. He wouldn't mind taking the long route home; he could always stop by the park and gaze at the clouds for a little while. He looked at his watch. He had _a_ _little_ time to spare.

Shikamaru sat on the bench and looked up at the clouds, blinking up lazily. He sighed. It had been a while since he had just had time to do this, he thought. He leaned back and realized he really needed to make time out of his days to do this. Like Iruka said, this was relaxing to him, and even if people thought it was stupid, _damnit_, he liked it. He watched the clouds absently and sighed again, feeling the stress of the day wash away. Tonight was going to be long and…_troublesome_. But now he felt like he could deal with it. He would have Kiba there beside him. And Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san would be there – that was bound to be amusing.

After a while, he looked down at his watch and realized it was nearing five o'clock. He reached in his pocket and absently felt the shape of the lighter from Asuma. Success is what you make it, he thought to himself. Shikamaru stood and stretched, then continued the rest of the way home; hands shoved his pockets, his messenger bag strapped across his body.

He arrived home and opened the front door, then shut it behind him. He walked into the kitchen. His Mother was cooking. His Father was in the backyard setting up long tables with lots of chairs. Lots of chairs. Shikamaru frowned.

"I invited a few extra people to dinner tonight, Mother." Shikamaru said as he looked outside at the long tables with all the extra tables and chairs. He scratched the back of his head.

"Oh?" His Mother looked at him. Yoshino Nara was wearing all dressed for the party already, but wearing an apron to cover her party dress. The pearls in her ears glowed dully in the light of the kitchen. She stood at the stove stirring a thick stew. She turned her face towards him and actually smiled slightly, trying to make an effort, an overture. He truly appreciated the effort. "Who did you invite Shikamaru?"

He leaned against the doorjamb. "Ahh…I invited Iruka-sensei…you know, he is my old pre-genin teacher. And my current mentor." He added carefully. "He said he would bring a casserole, some sake." Shikamaru paused. "And _Kakashi-san_."

The only clue that Yoshino heard what he said was a slight hitch in her breath and a slight change in the way she stirred the stew; she started stirring it _faster_. She wasn't a stupid woman; she knew who Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san were, and _what_ they were. Everyone in Konoha did. In fact, civilians and shinobi who _didn't_ live in Konoha probably did – the man was the copy-nin, for Kami's sake. He was famous. Famous for being a lot of things. One of them that he lived with his gay lover, _Iruka-sensei_.

"I see." His Mother said evenly. "That is very thoughtful of him."

She must be referring to the casserole and the sake. His Father was walking inside from the backyard. He walked into the kitchen and smiled mildly.

"Good evening, Son." Shikaku said. "The Akimichi's and Inoichi's will also be joining us tonight as well."

Shikamaru blinked a few times and looked outside at the large tables. It made more sense now.

"Go set two more places, honey." Yoshino said lightly.

"Eh?" His father frowned. "But I just finished setting it up…"

"Your Son invited two more people to dinner."

His Father looked at him inquisitively and Shikamaru shrugged. "Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san wanted to come."

Shikaku nodded and sighed. "Can you bring two extra chairs out from the spare room to the back yard?"

Shikamaru nodded back. "Sure Father." He dropped his messenger bag off onto the counter and went into the spare room to get the chairs, glad to be out of the kitchen; the tension was rising and although he felt guilty for causing it he still didn't want to be around it. He couldn't make her feel better because there was nothing he could do about the things she was upset about.

He stacked the spare chairs and carried them outside. His Father took the chairs and placed them where he wanted them. His Father was looking at him.

"Probably wasn't the wisest idea to invite those two." Shikaku stated.

"Why?" Shikamaru asked.

"Kakashi-san has a very bad habit of saying inappropriate things and tonight is going to be tense enough." His Father sighed and rubbed his forehead.

Shikamaru smiled wryly. "Well, Iruka-sensei promised me that he would keep Kakashi-san in line."

Shikaku looked at his Son and laughed. "You spoke to him about this matter?"

"Of course, I know what he's like." Shikamaru laughed.

"Wise to think ahead, I shouldn't have doubted you." His Father finished arranging the chairs and then looked back at his son. He turned and faced their land, but his words were for his Son, "When we spoke a few weeks ago you spoke of why you broke up Temari. Is this why?"

He sighed. "There was a lot wrong with our relationship. We fought a lot, we wanted different things. I was unhappy. She was unhappy. I wasn't attracted to her." Shikamaru shrugged. "In the end it was a culmination of things, like any relationship. Rarely is it ever just one thing."

His Father was nodding. "So you weren't always…?"

"I think I was…I think that was part of the problem…" Shikamaru felt his face heating up. It was embarrassing to talk about this, but surprisingly not _that_ awkward. He always felt fairly calm discussing things academically with his father. Something about the cold academic nature of the discussion felt comfortable and not hugely discomforting. He sighed.

"Ahh…" His Father nodded; hands behind his back. "Then I'm sorry I forced you to go on the date with Ino-chan."

Shikamaru shrugged. "_Yeah, yeah_."

"Well, you should probably go get dressed for dinner." His Father turned towards him and smiled. "It's almost six o'clock now. And I want you to know that whatever you think you know - you're Mother and I have always been proud of you, have always loved you and will always love you. We will always support, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru was a little stunned at the moment. His parents loved him, sure, but they didn't go around proclaiming it all the time. Sure, he'd heard it before. But it was very nice to just hear it like that. He blinked at his Father. "Che. Troublesome. I love you guys, too."

Then he turned around and realized his Mother was standing behind him. How had he not noticed her chakra? Wasn't he a ninja? He blinked at her, and she was hugging him. Yoshino Nara had not hugged him in…a very long time. Probably not since Christmas, and not this heartfelt in a long time. Not since Asuma-sensei had died, at least.

"I love you, Shikamaru." She whispered in his ear. He blinked back a few tears. "I'm sorry if…I sometimes don't show it…I just want so much for you because I think you can go so far. But I ultimately want you to be happy. And if you're happy…that's the most precious thing in the world…to me."

Shikamaru realized his Mother was shaking a little with emotion as he held her; she was _crying_ a little. He smiled at her softly. "I love you, Mother, I'm sorry if I've been…a jerk lately."

"No, Shika, _I'm sorry!"_ Yoshino said, putting her forehead to his.

They hugged again, both of them apologizing and saying stupid, silly admissions of guilt to each other. Had it been said before how much alike they were? Shikamaru may look like his father - but temperament wise; he was just like his Mother. Then his Father was there pulling Yoshino away and telling him to go get dressed.

Before he realized it, he was grinning and running up the stairs, actually looking _forward_ to the dinner. Shikamaru took the stairs two a time, surprisingly unlike is lazy nature. He just felt so much…lighter all of a sudden. After all these weeks and months – he felt like all of this guilt and oppression had been lifted. He went into the bathroom and took a shower, finding himself actually singing in the shower. He wore his hair down, following Iruka-sensei's advice and wore the outfit that he had purchased with his mentor – the jeans and the black button up shirt. He made sure his henge was still in place, since the bites were still (_troublesome-!_) visible.

Shikamaru could hear the doorbell ringing, so he left the bathroom and was walking down the stairs. People were already here. He could hear them in the backyard. He flushed, realizing he was late to his own party. His Father was at the door, opening to reveal Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san. They were both wearing nice slacks and dress shirts. Kakashi-san held out a fine bottle of sake to his Father. Shikaku took the bottle from him and looked at it in askance.

"Apparently one brings sake to a Son's coming-out party?" Kakashi-san said and then smiled his little curved-up happy smile.

Shikaku smothered a laugh.

"Don't encourage him, Shikaku-san." Iruka growled.

Shikamaru walked over. "Should you have brought that muzzle I suggested?"

"Ahh, aren't _you_ the one with dog fetish, Shikamaru?" Kakashi snickered in Shikamaru's direction.

"Kakashi!" Iruka blushed "What did I tell you…"

"He started it…" Kakashi whined, his hand up scratching the back of his head.

"That is _**one**_!" Iruka said, his eyes glittering dangerously.

Kakashi huffed so much the mask filled up with air and expanded a little. He shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered into the kitchen to speak with Inoichi-san.

His Father was closing the door behind them and they were walking out to the back patio. The Akimichi's and Inoichi's were already there, sitting in the chairs, sipping iced tea and lemonade. His Father had strung lights up along the arbor on the ceiling. They were really going out to make this a nice night. He smiled.

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows at Iruka-sensei. "One?"

"Yeah, I have a three-strikes and he's in the dog-house policy with Kakashi. I have found it useful when dealing with him in social functions and things like this. It keeps him from acting too inappropriately. It will make him think before he speaks…because there are consequences that he actually cares about." Iruka explained quietly to him.

"Sex, you mean?" Shikamaru shook his head.

Iruka shrugged. "If you can't beat him, you join him."

"You're just as much of pervert as Kakashi-san, Iruka-_sensei_, drop the act."

"Well, you should talk, _primal_ beast boy…do you play the deer and he hunts you?" Iruka teased.

Shikamaru laughed, flushing slightly. He heard polite coughing and he turned around. His Father! Oh Kami had he overheard that? Shikaku was standing right there his cheeks were stained lightly with color. Yes, he probably had overheard their conversation. Okay, if their conversation had been cold and academic, and not embarrassing. This, well, this was uncomfortable. It was one thing to discuss sex or masturbating in a clinical way. But to talk about it in a kinky way – that was awkward.

The doorbell rang. _Saved by the bell!_

Shikamaru walked quickly, he did _not_ race, for the door. And he wasn't blushing. He opened the door to see Tsume, Hana and Kiba Inuzuka…and _Akamaru!_ He smiled at them brightly and opened the door widely.

"Why is your face red, Shika?" Kiba asked.

"I just took a shower." Shikamaru said and with a laugh, not even wanting to begin to explain that he was blushing and why. He looked at the Inuzuka's "Nice to see you all, thank-you for coming. The party is out back. My parent's also invited their good friends, the Akimichi's and the Inoichi's. And I invited Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san." Shikamaru smiled at them. And he meant it. He was happy.

"Damnit, I told you we were late, Hana!" Kiba exclaimed, looking out at everyone in the backyard. "You and your stupid hair!"

"Che…it's fine, Kiba." Shikamaru smiled. "We haven't started eating yet." He reached over and took Kiba's hand. Tonight was going to be a good night. He could feel it.

"Good, I'm glad." Kiba said in relief." He squeezed Shikamaru's hand.

"I'm surprised to see Akamaru?" Shikamaru looked down in surprise at the big white dog, who was sitting calmly at Kiba's side. The dog was sniffing him curiously. He held out his hand tentatively, open-faced, palm-up and the dog licked it. He scratched him behind the ears and the nin-dog rubbed up against his leg.

Of course Tsume also had brought Kuromaru and Hana had thankfully only brought one of the three Haimaru Brothers companions she favored.

"I'm…_apparently_…Uhhh…" Kiba was flushing and trying to find suitable words.

Hana _did not_ have the same problem.

"Good news! Dearest brother is no longer in heat, Shika!" Hana exclaimed happily, and quite loudly. She put her arm around him and ruffled his hair.

"In _heat_?" Shikaku repeated, his eyebrows shooting up.

There was a gagging noise from in the kitchen. Kakashi-san had overheard and had apparently been trying to drink some lemonade from behind his genjutsu really quick, but got sidetracked when he heard that and started to laugh or some ice went down his throat and got stuck and he was now gagging on it and Iruka came up behind him and thwacked him loudly on the back. Iruka was laughing at Kakashi-san and calling him a fool. The copy-nin's face was all red and there was a huge wet-spot on his mask.

"_Troublesome_." Shikamaru said. Maybe he could pretend Hana hadn't said anything. Maybe his Father would pretend he hadn't heard that.

"Hello Yoshino-chan!" Tsume smiled and marched over to his mother in the kitchen and picked the smaller woman up and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in ages! We don't talk enough! Isn't this crazy? I never thought my Kiba would be gay, but what you going to do?" She let out a coarse laugh and slapped her thigh. "Where's the food?" Then the two women were arm in arm, marching off towards the backyard.

Shikamaru blinked. That was unexpected. He really hadn't expected Tsume Inuzuka to hug his mother and for his Mother to just take it. She really was trying for his sake. He felt a warmth coil in his chest expand. He looked up at Kiba, and he smiled shyly. "Did you want to get something to eat?"

"Technically, I am _bisexual_ Mom." Kiba glowered towards his Mother's retreating back.

He just laughed at Kiba and squeezed the man's hand.

Much later, hours later, Kiba and Shikamaru were lying under the stars, on the grass of his backyard. They could hear the muffled voices of the adults laughing and talking behind them. Ino and Choji were somewhere over yonder snuggling by the tree, but they were sitting under the cloudless sky to look at the sky. Akamaru was lying with his head in Kiba's lap. Every once in a while they would let out a small doggy snore.

"This is really nice." Kiba said happily. "And you were so worried."

"_Yeah, yeah_."

He had already told him about his Mother's outburst earlier. This was probably ranking in one of his best days of his life. Right up there with obtaining chuunin rank.

"You know, Kiba…" Shikamaru paused. "I have a bit of a confession."

"Oh?" The Inuzuka man started running his hands through Shikamaru's hair.

"I had a little help with our relationship." He admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"Like…a matchmaker of sorts I guess." Shikamaru explained.

"Huh?" Kiba paused.

"Well, I've never really dated anyone and I just asked for advice, you know, that's it. It wasn't really any big deal. They gave me these tips and helped me with some clothing advice."

"Clothing advice?"

"You know - those leather pants from the costume party."

"Those were _hot_." Kiba grinned and kissed Shikamaru lightly on the cheek. He wanted to do more but both their families were just a few feet away.

"Those pants were Iruka-sensei's." Shikamaru stated.

Kiba's brain might have melted a little for the second time in one day. He stared at Shikamaru for a moment with a moment in confusion, then conjecture, and then disgust.

"Damn you, Shikamaru!" Kiba growled. "I wanted you to borrow those again. And now…I can't think about those pants again without thinking about Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei and that's just…_gross_! They're _old!_ Why does Iruka-sensei even _need_ sexy leather pants? No, don't answer that!" Kiba grunted and covered his eyes as if to will the mental images away. "This is almost worse than the time that Kakashi-sensei joined in during the sex-talks around the campfire with Raidou and I and he told us that he liked to have sex with Iruka-sensei in his classroom. I was mortified!"

"Wow, you just used 'mortified' in a sentence correctly, Kiba." Shikamaru teased.

"Stop dissing my vocabulary, Shika." He pouted, and then grinned. "However it was my word of the day a couple of days ago."

"Very sexy when you use it properly." Shikamaru praised.

"So who's been mentoring or matchmaking or whatever for you?" Kiba asked, still not getting it.

"Iruka-sensei."

"_What?_"Kiba exclaimed, waking Akamaru up.

"Him and, well, truthfully, Kakashi-san too. They've been giving me rules everyday to follow. More like tips. And well, here we are."

Kiba was looking at him as he had a screw loose. Maybe he did. A few weeks ago he probably never would have ever thought about considering to asking his old pre-genin teacher for romantic advice. And certainly not the town pervert. But here he was; deliriously happy. So…maybe it worked?

"You know, Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-san are some of the most intelligent people in Konoha, right? The rules have been surprisingly practical and reasonable. We would probably not be together right now if it weren't for them, so you should probably thank instead of mock them." Shikamaru finished.

The Inuzuka man thought for a few moments, scratching Akamaru in a relaxed manner. He the nodded. "Can I see the rules? Did you write them down?"

Shikamaru looked surprised.

"What?" Kiba laughed.

Shikamaru looked a little abashed. "Actually, I never thought to write them down..."

"Shika...you're such a lazy bastard!" Kiba groaned. "And don't you remember them at all? Aren't you a genius?"

"Hey! Well, I can probably remember some of them...I think?" Shikamaru laughed. "I'm sure Iruka-sensei remembers them all perfectly anyways. He probably wrote notes on it."

"So...why did you ask for help from them?" Kiba asked after a moment.

Shikamaru sighed. "I liked you and didn't know how to go about doing anything about it. I guess things seemed pretty hopeless at the time." The young Nara man grinned shyly. "And Iruka-sensei can be pretty convincing when he wants to be. He was pretty adamant about wanting to help."

"_Why_?" He asked softly.

"Do you remember that mission you mentioned earlier where you said Kakashi-san err...over-shared?" Shikamaru started plucking at the grass on the ground beside his leg.

"Yes?" Kiba frowned. "What about it?"

"Do you remember that Kakashi-san asked if you and I were...?" Shikamaru colored a little at the memory. "Having sex in my classroom?"

"Oh, I remember that! I was pretty embarrassed because Raidou laughed. I had just gotten through telling them this story about one time with Ino-" Kiba was laughing

"Ino?" Shikamaru sat up, looking at Kiba angrily.

"No, it was all a lie. I was just making it up really. Honest!" Kiba looked stricken. "I didn't know what else to say, they were all talking about stuff and I didn't know what to say. The only person I had been with was a boy, and I was too embarrassed to tell them that. Granted, once Kakashi-sensei said he'd been with a man, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but he spoke after me, so I didn't know that he was going to say that! I guess was just a chicken." Then Kiba grinned. "But Ino is pretty."

"Oh?" He flashed a few hand signs and suddenly the man was pinned to the ground with a few shadows.

"C'mon, Shika...I was just kidding..." Kiba whined. Akamaru made a doggy-noise like he was snickering. "Akamaru, whose side are you on?"

"I don't know, Kiba. I don't have long blond hair. I can't hear you..." Shikamaru smiled at the nin-dog, wishing he could pet him, but he couldn't because that would release the jutsu. He settled for praise _"Akamaru, good dog. I know were my Father keeps the venison jerky."_

"That's not cool, Shikamaru." Kiba pouted.

Shikamaru shook his head. "Anyways, well, Kakashi-san thought you were dating me because Iruka-sensei had told him I liked you. He naturally assumed the feeling was mutual, ergo – he opened his mouth and said that to you on the mission. When he realized that it wasn't, he came home and told Iruka. Who then made it his mission to play 'matchmaker'. It has been an enlightening past few weeks but I can't say that I would turn back the clock. Would you? Unless you wish to possibly fight Choji over there for Ino?"

"Oh quit it, Shika." Kiba said petulantly. "I'm sorry about the Ino joke, okay? Now let me up!"

Shikamaru sighed then released the jutsu and Kiba growled lightly as his limbs were released. He looked over his shoulder at their parents. They both knew they were being watched occasionally. Not overtly, maybe. But enough that both young men wanted to make a good impression. The normally hot-tempered Inuzuka swallowed his emotions and ran a ragged hand through his hair and ended up sticking his tongue out at Shika instead of whatever head wanted to do.

He smiled, vaguely surprised at Kiba for keeping a firm hand on his temper and restraining his impulses.

"I guess I really do owe Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei a debt of gratitude, then." Kiba said after a moment as he lay back down on the ground and pulled the shadow-nin beside him.

"Oh?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, after all it pretty flattering that the laziest ninja in Konoha used a matchmaker just to woo little ol' me."

"Oh...you didn't just say that!" Shikamaru tried to pull away but Kiba was trying to pull him in for a kiss.

"Well, it's true!" Kiba had a feral grin on his face.

"You have the biggest ego!" Shika accused.

"Well...if the kunai fits!"

"And I was just thinking that you had matured!" The young teacher glared.

"C'mon, I'm still an awesome boyfriend." Kiba smiled and tried to grab the other young man for a kiss, but he was fighting the embrace.

Shikamaru stilled. "What did you say?"

"Huh?" Kiba frowned. "What did I say about what?

"We've never talked about that." Shika tried to blow it off. "What a dr-"

"No, it's not a drag. Stop saying that just when you don't want to say, or when something is bothering you. You are my boyfriend."

Akamaru barked happily in agreement. Kiba reached over and scratched him behind his ears.

"Good." Shikamaru smiled. "I'm glad." And he looked up at stars and was so happy he could burst. He had a boyfriend, a job he liked (most of the time), great friends and a family that apparently did love him. Life, was really looking up.

Owari

_A/N – Thank-you to every single person who reviewed. Seriously! I know that everyone has really been enjoying this fiction a lot and I'm sure no one really wants to see it end, but, darlings I always write very outlines for my stories and this was the end for this story-! So I'm sorry that it's over, but it was a lovely end, no? _

_Dedicated to WhitenyRose – Friend, Muse, and Beta Extraordinaire! _

_However, do not despair – as the saying goes...one door may close, but another may open. "Icha Icha Matchmaker" may be ending but if you like KakaIru (other pairings in there, too) – well, I have another story that I am starting...in fact, it is already up, you can go read the very first chapter RIGHT NOW-! (See, look how devious I am? I'm so naughty!) _

_It's called, "It's Always Sunny in Konoha" – it's set in Modern Day Konoha (Yes, I know a little out there, right, but don't be afraid – it's a funny piece – it's not taking it's self too seriously). It's not parody or anything, Just give it a whirl and tell me what you think. If you like my writing style at all - just give it a shot. Trust me – you might like it! _

_As always, thank-you VERY much for sticking through Icha Icha Matchmaker (And also "The Space Between Two Worlds" if you read that, too). You have all my love! _

_Please Review! ^_^ _


	10. Rules of Matchmaking Omake

_Rules of Matchmaking Omake_

_(aka..._"_Nara Family Mating Rites")_

Kiba got a message from his sister, Hana, that Shikamaru had something important to discus with him. He was supposed to meet the Nara man in the forested area behind his parent's house. Also he had to leave Akamaru back at home in the kennels. It was some new jutsu that Shikamaru had come up with, according to Hana, and it might upset the dog. Kiba was highly intrigued. Shika was very powerful and clever so whatever he had come up with had to be something interesting. Besides, Kiba thought to himself, Shikamaru had been very secretive lately. _This_ must be what he had been working on.

As Kiba infused chakra into his feet to fly through the trees, he bordered the territory into the Nara land and jumped lightly down into the ground. He sniffed the air lightly, searching out Shikamaru. He turned in a northwesterly direction and headed in that way, easily picking up his lover's scent.

After a few minutes of walking through the forest, Shikamaru's scent got stronger, and then suddenly Kiba couldn't move. He felt his body being pinned where he stood in the middle of the clearing. He looked at the ground and realized the moonlight through the trees had created inadvertent shadows; he was inescapably pinned.

"Shika?" Kiba barked with happy laugh.

The pony-tailed man jumped into the clearing in front of him without speaking, still maintaining the jutsu.

Kiba wiggled his shoulders a little, still unable to move. "Hey, this isn't the new jutsu, is it?"

Shikamaru walked closer a smirk playing across his features. He had a predatory expression on his face.

"Eh?" Kiba muttered trying to break free again, still knowing it was pointless. He knew Shikamaru could maintain shadow stitching for over an hour. "What's gotten into you?"

The other man chuckled lightly as he stood in front of Kiba and withdrew a kunai from his pouch.

Kiba's eyes widened comically. "_Shika?"_

Shikamaru's sly smirk enlarged as he leaned in and took the kunai and placed it against the Inuzuka's shirt and ripped a slice down the front in one quick, precise incision so that it slid to the ground. The mesh shirt fell with a soft swoosh.

"Shika!" Kiba yelped, struggling to move.

Then Shikamaru slid the kunai along the inseam of Kiba's pants and rapidly made cuts along the side, yanking on them in one tug, and they were gone, as well. He was just standing there in his boxers. His pink boxers with little dog-bones on them, too, Kiba thought with a small internal scowl of indignity. It had been the only clean pair left. He struggled in the bonds again, hoping wistfully that Shikamaru had possibly let the jutsu grow weak. If so, he would flip that man over and fuck that smirk of his face! He growled, just thinking about it, and felt his cock twitch at the prospect.

He stared at Shikamaru for a moment and tried to think...because..._something_ about him was different. He looked different. He sniffed the air. He smelled a little different. It took him a few minutes to work out and understand what he was seeing. It was the first time he was seeing Shikamaru..._without_ his infernal lazy attitude and laid back nature. His gestures were no longer carefree and his posture _wasn't_ slouching. His movements were smoothly executed. Standing there, legs splayed, Shikamaru was pure male aggression, insolent and unleashed.

Kiba was startled to realize he was panting softly.

His eyes opened even wider when Shikamaru finally spoke.

"Kiba...have you ever heard about the _Nara Family Mating Rites?"_

"No..." Kiba frowned. Actually no one knew much about the Nara family outside the Nara's. They didn't exactly go around telling people their business.

Shikamaru paced two silent circles around Kiba – _oh yes, there was a definite reckless masculine swagger in his walk_ – then the Nara man closed in on the Inuzuka and stood before him. He took the hair tie out of his hair and shook his hair out slowly, watching as Kiba's mouth opened silently. Then Shikamaru pulled his shirt off and tossed on the ground absently. He was regarding Kiba with a mocking, possessive amusement expression as if he sensed that Kiba continued to fight the shadow jutsu and wanted to flee or possibly flip the Nara man over and fuck him.

"Well, then I'll just have to educate you, then, won't I?" Shikamaru stated as his hands drifted lower as he began to undo his pants slowly.

"_Educate me?"_ Kiba said incredulously, tugging at the jutsu. He watched in fascination as the man slipped out of his pants and stood before him naked. Goddamnit, Shika was hot. Why wouldn't he release this damn jutsu so they could fuck? He was teasing him and it wasn't fair. He was so heavy and hard in his boxers. He racked his brain to think of a reason why he might have done to deserve some sort of punishment be he couldn't think of anything.

"Yes, Kiba, education is vital to understanding." Shikamaru explained, his hands moving to Kiba's waist then he pulled him forward and settled his mouth possessively on top of his. Kiba was tense against him, because of the jutsu, he couldn't move freely even though he wanted to, but he felt Shikamaru wasn't in any hurry, he lazily explored his mouth for long minutes without rushing or making any other demands until Kiba relaxed even within the bounds of the shadow jutsu. His tongue stroked and coaxed within his mouth, hungry and deep; coaxing tingle after tingle through his body. Kiba's heart was pounding rapidly and his stomach fluttering wildly in his chest. Lord, Shikamaru knew how to kiss.

"You know how the Nara family is very close with their deer, right?" Shikamaru asked.

"Err, yeah." Kiba blinked in confusion

"Well, we have a mating tradition that comes from the deer. It's a lot like your _Inuzuka Clan Mating Rites_." Shikamaru said softly in his ear.

Kiba nodded in sympathy. He remembered what it had been like and he would be there for his lover. "How can I help?"

Shikamaru smiled as he leaned forward and nibbled on the Inuzuka's earlobe. "Oh, Kiba, you already are..."

The dog-nin shuddered in pleasure. "Oh...so...this is part of it?"

"I guess you could say I'm in heat?" Shika said with a faint blush.

"Well, _**I**_ could take care of that, Shika..." Kiba chuckled. "Release the jutsu."

"Ne, that's part of it Kiba." Shikamaru pinched one of the Inuzuka's nipples painfully until the man yelped. "I need to assert my _dominance_. Haven't you ever watched nature programs?"

"Nature programs?" Kiba's mouth opened and closed a few times. His mouth went dry. His knees nearly buckled. Had he heard correctly? "Err..._dominance_?"

Shikamaru leaned in and leered in a most predatorily way. "Oh, yes. Rutting, Kiba. Hard, fast and deep and when I'm done, you'll know you're mine and you'll never think of nay-saying me again."

Kiba was going to try and protest, but as his mouth opened Shikamaru descended again and continued his reign of assault on his senses, stroking and kissing until he was nearly consumed. The man reached down and cupped his erection through his boxers; he moaned at the intimate touch. Every nerve in his body awakened brutally to a sharp hungry emptiness. Muscles deep inside him bore down on nothing, acing to be filled and soothed. He opened his eyes and peered at Shikamaru, and fed a desire that he was not even aware that he had. To be taken, _consumed_ by the man.

Shikamaru put three fingers in his mouth and all Kiba could think was, _oh my kami_, this is really happening? He sucked on the man's fingers knowing it was for his own benefit to get them good and wet. And he liked watching Shika's face while sucked on them; he was willing to taste any part of the man he could get.

Then Kiba was flat on his back with his knees bent up and he couldn't even remember moving. Perhaps this was Shikamaru's new jutsu, he thought dazedly as the man's his fingers probed ruthlessly at his exposed soft hole, spreading dampness, slipping and sliding. The other man worked a single finger inside him, and thrust deeply. Kiba moaned at the intrusion, thrusting his hips slightly and pushing back against the hand. _Yes, oh, kami, yes – that was what Kiba needed!_ A small broken sound escaped his lips as a second finger worked its way inside his ass and found his prostate.

Gently, but relentlessly, Shikamaru thrust his fingers against that nub inside Kiba while he continued to cover the man's bare neck and shoulders with searing open-mouthed kisses interspersed with the tiny bites that he knew Kiba loved. The he leaned up and positioned himself over Kiba who looked uncertain all of a sudden.

"Wait, I'm not ready yet."

"Yes, you are." Shikamaru sighed. "_Troublesome_."

There was a rustling noise in the underbrush. Kiba turned his head to the side. "What was that noise?"

"The deer." Shika shrugged.

"The deer?" Kiba looked incredulous.

"They're watching."

"What!" Kiba exclaimed anxiously, spotting several pairs of watching eyes in the distance. _Kami!_ Deer were watching them fuck?

"It's part of the _Nara Family Mating rites_, Kiba." Shika sighed. "They have to watch, I always though you were pretty kinky, Kiba. But if you don't want to do this for me..."

The Nara man rubbed his cock back and forth against Kiba and the other man groaned as he started stroking his dick expertly.

"Ne...It's okay I guess." Kiba panted, forgetting all about the deer.

When he was incoherent, Shikamaru pushed himself in slowly, easing inside, his breath hissing between his teeth. Kiba's thighs quivered and he panted, struggling to accommodate the impaling thickness of him, as he'd never been a bottom before. Minutes ticked by as he pushed deeper, taking every tiny bit as his body yielded. Just when Kiba was certain the man had seated himself to the hilt, that he had all of him, Shikamaru pushed a final time with a rough sound, deeper even still, and Kiba made helpless mewling noises.

"I'm in you." Shikamaru said. His voice deep against Kiba's ear. He nipped painfully. "I'm a part of you now."

"Fuck, Shika." Kiba growled and moved hips a little tentatively. "That's so hot."

Shikamaru withdrew slowly, and then filled him again, thrusting in long slow strokes, nudging deeply, his cock sliding along his prostate in long teasing licks. Kiba shuddered underneath the man, eyelids fluttering. _Dear kami!_ The largeness of the man inside him stirred nerve endings in places he'd not even known existed. He could feel the climax building with each sure thrust, he reached down to grab his dick to help himself but Shikamaru smacked his hand away.

"Ne, _mine_." Shika wrapped a hand around Kiba's cock and started pumping it in rhythm to his thrusting and he wanted to come almost immediately but the man stopped.

"Fuck!" Kiba exclaimed. "I was about to come, Shika!"

"I know; that's why I stopped you." Shikamaru chuckled.

"What?" The Inuzuka sulked for a moment but it was hard to sulk when the man was continuing to thrust so excruciatingly well inside you and the pleasure was so intense. He was also continuing to arch up to each thrust and take more and more of him inside of him. Kami, did it feel like this for Shika when they had sex? No wonder the man didn't mind being on the bottom.

"Soon..." Shikamaru promised and then groaned. "_Primal_..."

"Shika...please," Kiba begged.

"Please what?" Shika purred against Kiba's ear.

"Please let me come," Kiba whined.

Shikamaru laughed huskily his hand once again stroking Kiba's cock. "Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" Kiba gasped.

"Do you need me, Kiba?" The Nara man asked as he continued to grind into him, his hips doing this twirl at the end that was amazing. Where had he learned that? Oh, kami, he couldn't breathe. The man was kissing him again, his tongue plunging in his mouth in tempo with his lower body while driving into him. A hand on his cock, also stroking him tightly. The tension gripping his body suddenly exploded, flooding with the most exquisite sensations he had ever felt.

"Shika!' Kiba cried out as he came.

"So..._primal_..." Shika said as he reached own and dipped a hand into Kiba's come and pulled it up to his mouth and licked it. Kiba watched with utter fascination. He was almost hard again watching this person, this wholly different side to Shikamaru. Fuck, it was so hot.

Shikamaru kept thrusting for a few moments one hand gripping Kiba's waist tightly, and then he too came inside Kiba with a loud groan. Then he leaned over and bit the Inuzuka man's shoulder painfully.

Then Shikamaru pulled out and turned to the side, pulling Kiba into his arms.

"Thank you, Kiba." Shika said, kissing is forehead.

"Well, it was great." Kiba blushed slightly. "And besides you were in heat, like you said. After all, it was the only thing I could do since you helped me. I love you after all."

Shikamaru flushed slightly and looked vaguely uncomfortable. "Tch, _Bothersome_."

"What?" Kiba said.

"Meh." Shika ran a hand through is hair. "Hana is going to kill me."

"What about Hana?" Kiba frowned.

"I can't go through with it entirely; I'm just not that sadistic." Shikamaru sighed. "Although Hana is an evil genius, I have to give her credit."

"Huh?" Kiba scratched the back of his head.

"You know, Kiba, I love you right?" Shikamaru said with a big smile.

"Yeah. I love you, too." He leaned over and kissed Shika who was looking sheepish.

"There is no such thing as deer heat. And no...'_Nara Family Mating Rites'_." Shikamaru admitted, pink tinting his cheeks.

Kiba looked in confusion around the clearing and then back at Shikamaru. "But...then?" He paused. "So you?" He shifted and felt the squishy feeling in his ass from the come that still remained. "Hey! You did all this just to be seme, didn't you?"

Shikamaru chuckled nervously. "Well, it's not like you didn't _enjoy_ it, Kiba...!"

"But that's not the point!" Kiba scowled, not exactly sure what the point was. Kami, the sex _had_ been amazing. And kinky as fuck! When could they do it again? What _was_ his point? Oh, yes! "You lied to me!"

"Sorry?" Shikamaru said, looking vaguely contrite.

"_Meh_." Kiba snorted. "Just promise that you won't join up in some unholy alliance with my sister again. She is an evil genius."

"I'm not sure...the results of this experiment were...altogether satisfactory, Kiba." Shikamaru grinned in that predatory way that Kiba was starting to equate with fucking fantastically kinky sex. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Kiba growled low in his throat. He was about to pounce on Shikamaru but the man foresaw the attack and had him pinned to the ground again.

"Ne, Inuzuka, tonight you're mine." Shikamaru grinned. "I thought I made that clear. I guess I'll have to explain...it again."

...

**Owari**

_..._

_A/N: Please Review_

_Just for the fans folks. Because I had this idea and I wanted to share. Hope you enjoyed this lovely story. _

_Thus ends the tale of Shikamaru and Kiba. _

_You're welcome to join me with DARK MATTER (Iruka x Itachi) _

_Or It's Always Sunny In Konoha (Kakashi x Iruka). _


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